SECOND WIN. Afril Bernardino escapes two Thai defenders in this basketball action won by the Philippines, 97-81, in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam on Wednesday (May 18, 2022). Bernardino scored 20 points for the Philippines' second straight win. (Photo courtesy of Team Philippines) HANOI - Heroines came in abandon as the Philippine women's squad whipped rival Thailand 97-81, Wednesday for its second straight win in women's basketball of the 31st Southeast Asian Games at the Thanh Tri Gymnasium here. Afril Bernardino showed the way with 20 points and 16 rebounds as the Gilas women's squad took the lead in the round-robin tournament where the top placer wins the gold. Four consecutive threes from Fil-Am rookie Stefanie Berberabe, Chack Cabinbin, Janine Pontejos, and Gabi Bade, another US-based player making her SEA Games debut, sparked a big charge that turned a 27-25 lead into a 39-27 bubble in the second period. "I'm just so happy again. They
ARCHERY GOLD. Archers Pia Bidaure, Abby Bidaure and Phoebe Amistoso celebrate after the gold medal in the women's recurve team in the ongoing 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam on Wednesday (May 18, 2022). It was the first gold contributed by the archery for the Team Philippines. (Photo courtesy of Team Philippines) HANOI - Archery contributed its first gold to the Philippine campaign in the 31st Southeast Asian Games here on Wednesday, nipping top seed Vietnam 26-25 in a thrilling shoot-off for the women's team recurve title at the Hanoi National Training Center. Abby Bidaure, 20, emerged as the heroine for Team Philippines, hitting the bullseye in the final arrow of the shoot-off for a 10 with just 10 seconds left on the clock, eliciting loud cheers from other members of the team who gingerly watched the thrilling showdown from behind. The winning team, which included Bidaure's sister, Pia, and Phoebe Amistoso, battled back with a 57-49 win in the fourth frame after trailin