Gilas Pilipinas Youth opened the FIBA U16 Women’s Asian Championship 2023 on a winning note by defeating Hong Kong, 79-40, Monday night in Jordan. 

Ava Fajardo spearheaded the offense by scoring 17 points on an efficient 8-for-14 shooting clip with six rebounds and three assists. Ryan Nair contributed 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, while Alyssia Palma chipped in with 10 points. Six other players scored at least five points in a balanced attack from the Philippines. 

It was a defensive showcase for the young national squad as they came up with 22 steals and forced 34 turnovers. Fajardo and Nair led the way with four steals each. They also held Hong Kong to just 22.7 percent field goal shooting.

Gilas Youth lead Group A with a 1-0 record. They face Maldives next on Tuesday at 8:30 PM (Manila time). The top team in each group will advance to the semifinals while the second and third placers will undergo a qualification process. 

The winner of the tournament will earn a promotion to Division A for the FIBA U16 Women’s Asia Championship in 2025.