Gilas Pilipinas Women's head coach, Pat Aquino, has announced that Jack Animam and Vanessa de Jesus will be joining the national team as they gear up for the upcoming William Jones Cup and FIBA Asia Cup.

During the FIBA Women's Asia Cup trophy tour press conference at Buffalo's Wings N' Things in the Mall of Asia Complex, Aquino provided an update on the status of the two key players who were absent from the event.

The Jones Cup is scheduled from July 2 to 6 in Taiwan, while the FIBA Women's Asia Cup will be held from July 13 to 20 in China.

Speaking about Animam, Aquino mentioned, "Jack is going to be there. She's just taking a break after a challenging six-month season in Romania. It's important for her to rest and return fresh and prepared for the upcoming competitions."

Animam recently concluded a successful season with FCC UAV Arad in Romania's Liga Națională. The former UAAP champion played a crucial role in the team's bronze medal finish, averaging 19.7 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.4 steals, and 1.9 assists over 22 games, including the playoffs.

On the other hand, De Jesus, the Filipino-American guard who will be the naturalized player for Gilas, was initially expected to arrive in the Philippines earlier but faced delays due to academic obligations.

The former Duke University standout has transferred to the University of Notre Dame to complete her final year of NCAA eligibility.

Aquino mentioned, "She will be arriving next week. She was supposed to come earlier, but due to her transfer from Duke to Notre Dame, she had to stay back. Nonetheless, she is committed and eager to join the team."

De Jesus made her debut for the Philippines in the 2023 FIBA Asia Cup, where she had an impressive performance, averaging 12.8 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 steals. The Gilas Women finished sixth in that tournament.

The return of Animam and De Jesus comes at a crucial time for the national team, especially with the absence of veterans Afril Bernardino, Janine Pontejos, Chack Cabinbin, and Andrea Tongco, who are unable to participate in the upcoming tournaments due to military service.