DOUBLE GOLD. Janine Pontejos wins her second gold medal in the 2019 SEA Games. Photo by Jerrick Reymarc/RapplerThe Philippines crowned itself as the new queen of 5-on-5 basketball in the region with a breakthrough gold medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games following a 91-71 thrashing of Thailand on Tuesday, December 10.
The Philippines finished with a 3-0 record, while Thailand wrapped up its campaign at 2-1 as the team with the best record walked away with the gold. Animam scattered 8 points in that run, while France Cabinbin scored 5 of her 7 points in that crucial stretch as the Philippines never looked back. "I'm just so happy for the girls, for what they achieved. Now, we hope you notice us," said Gilas Women head coach Pat Aquino in a mix of Filipino and English.