Philippines edge past Kazakhstan in Asian Games opener
The Philippines women's basketball side secured an 86-58 victory over Kazakhstan on Tuesday at the Asian Games, taking control early and maintaining their advantage throughout. With this result the hosts move to 2nd place in the standings, sitting on 2 wins from 3 matches, while Kazakhstan remain winless at the bottom of the table with three defeats.
The scoreline reflected a comfortable performance from the home side, who have shown mixed results in recent outings. They beat Senegal 79-75 last month, but lost to Canada 85-38 and narrowly fell to Mexico 61-58. Against Kazakhstan they didn't need to come from behind — they set the tempo and kept it.
Kazakhstan's record since their last competitive fixtures offers little cause for optimism. Their most recent matches date back to 2023, when they lost 92-30 to Japan and 83-59 to the Philippines in a previous meeting. Three straight defeats in this tournament leave them searching for answers.
The previous encounter between these sides ended 83-59 in favour of the Philippines, and this time margin widened to 28 points. The hosts were dominant in the air from set plays and stretched the back line with pace, though the full extent of their tactical adjustments remains unclear without further data.
With one game remaining in the group stage, the Philippines have one foot in the next round and will look to consolidate their position. Kazakhstan face a must-win scenario to avoid finishing bottom, but their recent form suggests a difficult task ahead.
