The value of Stef Berberabe cannot be underestimated for Gilas Pilipinas Women.
At just 5-foot-4, Berberabe has looked like the best player on the floor for major stretches of the Asian Games, and that was particularly evident against a gutsy Hong Kong squad.
With naturalized player Elizabeth Means struggling to find her rhythm for most of the game, Berberabe stepped up when Gilas needed her most.
Gilas weathered Hong Kong's fiery start before pulling away in the second half for a 90-73 victory, securing a spot in the quarterfinals of the Asian Games women's basketball tournament.
Berberabe finished with 21 points, five rebounds and two assists on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting from the field.
Her 82.3% True Shooting percentage against Hong Kong underscored just how effective she was offensively.
The 26-year-old, who plays in the Women's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) and NBL1 West in Australia, was once again at the center of Gilas' offense after opening the tournament with 11 points and eight assists in the win over Kazakhstan.
Her ability to generate paint touches has been crucial to Gilas' 2-0 start. Berberabe repeatedly punished Hong Kong's defense with drives, often drawing help defenders and creating easy opportunities off paint touches for Gilas bigs Means and Karl Ann Pingol. Her ability to collapse the defense also opened the floor for the team's perimeter players.
This performance comes after Berberabe put up 11 points and eight assists in their tournament-opening win against Kazakhstan on Thursday.
Throughout the Asian Games so far, head coach BT Toews has put Berberabe in positions where she can thrive, using double-drag screens as a primary action to get her downhill, allow her to attack the defense, and generate paint touches.
Berberabe has also developed a knack for getting to her spots just below the free-throw line, where she can stop short, rise for a jumper, or continue attacking.
Her strong hands and ball security have also provided another layer of stability for Gilas.
That freedom has, in turn, unlocked players such as Jhazmine Jozon, Camille Malagar and Afril Bernardino on the wings.
Against Hong Kong, Bernardino caught fire with 17 points, while Jozon added 15 points behind two 3-pointers. Malagar was perfect from the field on six attempts, finishing with 14 points.
Means, meanwhile, struggled to get going, scoring 11 points while committing five turnovers as Hong Kong consistently sent extra attention her way.
Rather than allowing Gilas' offense to stall, especially in the first half, Berberabe took the offensive cudgels and gave the team another reliable source of creation.
Now, Gilas Women face a much tougher challenge against Asian powerhouse Japan to close out the group stage.
The matchup will serve as a litmus test for Toews and his squad, particularly as the Canadian coach continues to draw from his experience coaching in Japan for more than a decade and has used elements of that blueprint in building the Gilas women's program.
Japan is coming off a FIBA Women's World Cup campaign in Berlin, Germany, where it finished 12th. While its Asian Games roster is different from the squad that competed in the World Cup, the same level of competitiveness is expected.
Philippines and Japan will tip off on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 12 p.m. Manila time.
