Gilas Women def Vietnam, 116-58 [2023 SEA Games | May 13, 2023]

Even with the sub-par playing floor, the heat and officiating, Pat Aquino was quick to not make excuses.

“They got us in the third quarter, simple as that,” Aquino told the Inquirer over the phone, minutes after his Gilas Pilipinas women took an 89-68 whipping at the hands of heavily-reinforced Indonesia to practically bow out of the gold medal race in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.

“We weren’t making our shots from the perimeter, and they (Indonesians) did,” Aquino said. “They wanted it more this time around.”

It was just the first loss in three games for the Filipinos, but Aquino is not entertaining wild thoughts of still salvaging the title owing to the tournament format of a single round play that awards the gold to the country with the best record.

“They have just two games left,” Aquino said as Indonesia battles Cambodia and Singapore to round out its schedule. “And let’s be honest about it, those are very weak teams.”

The Filipinos, meanwhile, still have games against Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia left.

“I told my players that there is nothing to be ashamed of, no matter how this tournament ends for us,” he said. “I am very proud that they never gave up.”