Gilas women prospects among Fil-Am talents to watch out for in US NCAA
MANILA, Philippines — Five Gilas women prospects will test their mettle in the upcoming US NCAA season.
Expected to see a full-blown season after just a four-game campaign last year is Duke University's Vanessa de Jesus.
A sophomore, de Jesus will be looking to be a constant for the Blue Devils' starting lineup as their point guard.
Duke opens the season on November 9 (November 10 in Manila) against Winthrop.
Also making a return after a COVID-19-hit season is former Ivy League Rookie of the Year Kayla Padilla.
Ivy League schools did not participate in last year's hostilities due to the pandemic.
Padilla, who has been courted by the national team program along with de Jesus, will look to pick up where she left off when University of Pennsylvania tips off their season on November 14 (November 15, Manila time) against Hartford.
Padilla will face off with de Jesus, as well, in a non-conference match up on December 5 (December 6, Manila).
Meanwhile, Ella Fajardo, who played for Gilas in the FIBA Women's Asia Cup earlier this year, will start her collegiate career with Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Fairleigh Dickinson begins their season on November 10 (November 11, Manila time) against St. John's.
Also in Gilas women's radar are University of San Diego's Kiera Oakry and Pepperdine University's Malia Bambrick.
Both Oakry and Bambrick attended a showcase for Gilas women's head coach Pat Aquino organized by Fil-Am Nation Select.
Oakry will first see action on November 9 (November 10 in Manila) against Hawaii.
Bambrick, for her part, will play on November 10 (November 11, Manila) at UCLA. They also play an exhibition match against Cal State LA on November 5 (November 6, Manila time).
Oakry and Bambrick will also be meeting in a West Coast Conference (WCC) match-up between San Diego and Pepperdine on January 6 (January 7, Manila).
Bambrick is a readily available prospect for the national team as she already has her Philippine passport.
More than a handful of Fil-Am hoopers play in Division I in the US, included in the list are Lexi Marks of Loyola Marymount University in the WCC, Aurea Gingras of George Washington University, Laila Phelia from the University of Michigan, Lei McIntosh of Cal Berkley, and Chreilyn Molina of Washington State.
Molina is the younger sister of Gilas women's prospect Chanelle.
Rounding up the list of known Fil-Am hoopers in D1 are Chinwe Ezeonu (Seattle University), Gabby Rones (University of Nevada), Mel Isbell (New Mexico State), Abigail Akmine (Ohio Northern University), Ayzhiana Basallo (Arizona State), Mia Yanogacio (Delaware University), Briana Furch (Cal State Fullerton), Isabella Mauricio (Brown University), and Julia Macabuhay and Brianna Claros of UC San Diego.
Also in the radar for Gilas women is Stefanie Berberabe of Westmont College, which competes in NAIA.
Like Bambrick, Berberabe already has her Filipino passport and will be eligible to play for Gilas in non-FIBA-sanctioned events.
Berberabe led Westmont to the national championship last season where she was also named MVP.
- Latest
- Trending
