The Gilas Pilipinas Women’s team started their 19th Asian Games campaign on a high note as they trounced Kazakhstan 83-59, Wednesday afternoon in Hangzhou, China.

Janine Pontejos and Khate Castillo torched Kazakhstan from beyond the arc, combining for 12 triples in the win. Pontejos led all scorers with 21 points and seven 3s while Castillo wasn’t far behind with 15 points. Jack Animam took care of the paint, tallying nine points and 12 rebounds.

After a tight opening period, Gilas pulled away in the second quarter, outscoring their opponents 23-9. They closed the period on a 13-0 run that allowed them to pull away. Stefanie Berberabe scored on back-to-back baskets and assisted on a Marizze Tongco shot to kickstart the Gilas run. Animam and Chack Cabinbin closed out the quarter strong with seven straight points to build a double-digit lead heading into the half.

Castillo and Pontejos kept Kazakhstan at bay with timely shots from the outside in the second half, allowing Gilas to cruise to the easy win.

Gilas is in Group B with Kazakhstan, Japan, and Hong Kong. They’re fighting to be one of the top eight teams at the end of the preliminary round in order to advance to the quarterfinals. Their next game is against Hong Kong on September 29 at 1:30 PM.

(File photo c/o FIBA)