The Philippines’ Perlas Pilipinas is scheduled for a head-to-head game against the team Japan at 3:45 P.M. on July 23, 2017 in Bangalore, India.

Philippine’s women basketball squad known as the Perlas Pilipinas will start its FIBA Women’s Asia Cup campaign against the defending champion team Japan.

Despite of having lack in height, Philippines coach Patrick Aquino sees it as an advantage for the national squad.

“We’re much faster because we’re smaller. As far as talent is concerned, hindi naman talaga nagkakalayo,” the Perlas Pilipinas coach said at the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Golden Phoenix Hotel.

However, other teams in the same bracket where Philippines belongs have already seen many FIBA Wmone’s Asia Cup before.

“But the experience they have ‘yun talaga ang malaki (na advantage nila sa atin),” Aquino added

2017 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup: Philippines (Perlas Pilipinas) vs Japan | July 23, 2017

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“Bilog ang bola. Who knows?,” said Aquino when asked against the country’s chances of advancing to the world championship.

The other big difference that team Japan have is its 6’3″ power forward Ramu Tokashiki who also play with the Seattle Storm in the WNBA. She was a member of 2015 WNBA All-Rookie Team.

The teams in the preliminary round of Division B are South Korea, Australia, Japan and the Philippines.