Gilas Women players to showcase talents in WNBL

As the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) turns pro, Filipina cagers don’t have to look elsewhere to pursue their basketball dreams.

WNBL ambassadress Bea Daez Fabros noted that the lack of opportunities in the Philippines pushed female basketball players to play as imports in foreign leagues.

“I’m sure all those players [who] are looking to play outside the country, they don’t have to look so far anymore,” she said in the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday, September 8.

“Allana Lim played abroad as an import in the Malaysian league. If there is a professional league here, she’ll choose to play here. Like the other imports, they’re all part of the national team and of course their hearts are with the Philippines.” (READ: Allana Lim: Blazing a trail for Filipina ballers)

UAAP Season 75 women’s basketball MVP Lim landed roster slots in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore after her stint with the FEU Lady Tamaraws.

Aside from Lim, Gilas Women stalwarts Afril Bernardino and France Mae Cabinbin are also imports in Malaysia’s league. 

With applications now open for the first WNBL draft, executive vice president Rhose Montreal is inviting national team players to join the league.

Senior players have expressed their willingness to come out of retirement to play professionally as the WNBL eased the age restriction to 21 to 40 years old.

The trailblazer league for Philippine women’s basketball is now in talks with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) to legitimize its membership with the federation.

The WNBL is open to welcoming Gilas Women to participate as a team, while becoming an avenue for Filipina ballers to become top prospects of the national team.

“Right after we got our pro status, we informed [executive director] Sonny Barrios and president Al Panlilio of our update. We expressed our willingness to help the program of the national team,” explained Montreal.

“Sonny Barrios replied that the SBP is very much open to working with us and asked if we want to apply to be a member of SBP.”

To further boost opportunities for Filipina ballers, the WNBL plans to give the champion team international exposure after its first season.

“We’ll be bringing the champion to an international pocket tournament after the first season. We have a close relationship with NBL in [the] USA. We’ll be bringing them to Houston with other teams of NBL USA,” she added. – Jillian Velasco/Rappler.com