AFRIL Bernardino once again showed why she remains one of the Philippines’ most important player, but BT Toews admitted Gilas Pilipinas Women needed more from the rest of the lineup in Thursday’s 83-71 Asian Games quarterfinal loss to Chinese Taipei.
Bernardino sparked the Philippines’ second-quarter fightback and finished with a team-high 23 points, keeping Gilas within striking distance as it chased a historic Final Four berth.
Toews praised the veteran forward’s impact but said the team leaned on her more than it wanted.
“Yeah, I mean, she was huge for us. She’s a veteran player. Everybody in the country knows Afril and what she can do,” coach Toews said.
Bernardino’s influence became even more evident whenever she left the floor.
“Ideally, we didn’t want to depend on her like we did today. Without April on the court, we’re not even close in this game,” the coach explained.
For Toews, Bernardino did her part. The missing piece was getting enough players around her to consistently deliver when the game demanded it.
“So, we wanted other players to step up. We didn’t have enough players to step up, and often that’s basketball,” Toews said.
Despite Bernardino’s effort, Chinese Taipei answered the Philippines’ strong 9-2 start with its own 13-0 run and controlled the game for most of the way.
Gilas managed to cut the deficit to six points in the second half, but could not complete the comeback, ending its hopes of reaching the Asian Games semifinals for the first time.
Toews believes Bernardino’s performance underlines both her value to Gilas Women and the need to develop a deeper supporting cast.
“If you want to win and get to an amazing place like the Final Four, you need your kind of best game, right?” said Toews
For Bernardino, the 23-point outing was another reminder of her enduring importance to the national team. For Gilas Women, the challenge moving forward is finding more players who can match that level when the stakes are highest. (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
