Gilas Youth coaches defend players after early FIBA U16 Asia Cup exit

Gilas Pilipinas Youth head coach LA Tenorio and coach Richard del Rosario defended their players following their early exit from the FIBA U16 Asia Cup.

Tenorio stated he remains proud of his players despite becoming the first Filipino squad to exit the quarterfinals in the 16-year history of the tournament.

The young team's campaign included losses to Chinese Taipei (82-101) and New Zealand (54-85), a win against Indonesia (107-105), and a final loss to Bahrain (66-79), which formally eliminated them.

Tenorio acknowledged the players' sacrifices, resilience, dedication, hard work, and teamwork, emphasizing that the loss does not define them.

He described the defeat as a stepping stone for future success and encouraged the team to learn from the experience.