Julia Christine Botin

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Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1786091618247950x633 1.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Gilas Women&#x27;s Jack Animam. <em>File photo from FIBA </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA – Gilas Pilipinas Women mainstay Jack Animam will lead the squad in the FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico next week.</p><p>The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) released the 12-woman team roster on its official social media pages on Friday.</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DbuAVCNk0bY/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=762&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A22783400.200000763%2C%22ls%22%3A3511907.5%2C%22le%22%3A3512305.1000003815%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="840" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:658px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Animam is making her return to the national women&#x27;s basketball team for the first time since the FIBA Women&#x27;s Asia Cup in Shenzhen, China in July 2025.  </p><p>The veteran center helped Gilas Women finish sixth in the tournament and retain their status in Division A.</p><p>Joining Animam will be US NCAA Division I standout Vanessa De Jesus and two-time UAAP Most Valuable Player Kacey Dela Rosa.</p><p>Veterans Kent Pastrana, Afril Bernardino, Janine Pontejos, Jhazmin Joson and Angel Surada are likewise part of the 12-woman lineup.  </p><p>Also included in the roster are Louna Ozar, Sophia Dignadice, Monique Del Carmen and Alyssa Rodriguez.</p><p>The tournament will mark the first test for new Gilas Women head coach BT Toews.</p><p>&quot;It would be great to win the Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Mexico, but that&#x27;s going to be a huge hurdle for us. It would be, I think, world news if it happened,&quot; Toews said on Thursday.</p><p>&quot;But you know, you&#x27;ve got Canada in there. But there are teams in our pool that are definitely beatable. And so that&#x27;s what we focus on. And the first game is against the hosts,&quot; he added.</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-3" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbpv6PHkbCO/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=762&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A3%2C%22os%22%3A22816738.5%2C%22ls%22%3A3511907.5%2C%22le%22%3A3512305.1000003815%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="839" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-3" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:658px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Gilas Women will leave on August 9 for training camp in Las Vegas, Nevada before they head to Mexico for the tournament set from August 17 to 23.</p><p>&quot;I think they&#x27;re super excited. I think the practices are probably different than they&#x27;re used to. I feel like a lot of players are sore, which is always a good thing,&quot; Toews said.</p><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-5" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DbhgmPdGIbx/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=762&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A5%2C%22os%22%3A22846671.10000038%2C%22ls%22%3A3511907.5%2C%22le%22%3A3512305.1000003815%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="858" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-5" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:658px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Gilas Women are in Group B with hosts Mexico, Canada, and Senegal.  </p><p>Top two teams from each group will advance to the crossover semifinals, with only the champion securing a spot in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.</p>

<p>Gilas Pilipinas Women mainstay Jack Animam will lead the squad in the FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico next week.</p>

Gilas Pilipinas Women mainstay Jack Animam will lead the squad in the FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico next week.

Animam, De Jesus lead Gilas Women roster for FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament

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Animam, De Jesus lead Gilas Women roster for FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 07, 2026 04:36 PM PHT

Read More:

Women's Basketball

Gilas Pilipinas Women

Gilas Women

FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament

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