PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Gilas Pilipinas’ 3×3 teams settled for silver medals after absorbing numbing defeats Sunday in the finals of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games 3-on-3 basketball at the Morodok Techo Elephant Hall.

The men’s team lost to host Cambodia 20-15 and the women’s squad bowed to Vietnam 21-16 following an emotional win in the semifinals earlier in the day.

The Filipino 3×3 cagers defeated Thailand 21-19 on a two-pointer by Joseph Sedurifa while the Pinays leaned on Afril Bernardino to pull off a 21-20 win over Cambodia.

In the finals, the Gilas squad of Sedurifa, Almond Vosotros, Joseph Eriobu, and Lervin Flores failed to hurdle the Cambodian challenge anchored on three naturalized players in Brandon Peterson, Sayeed Pridgett, and Darrin Dorsey.

The team of Bernardino, Jack Animam, Janine Pontejos, and Mikka Cacho had no answer to Vietnamese-American twins Kayleigh Truong and Kaylynne Truong, Ngoan Thi Huyhn, and Duy Tieu Thi Nguyen.

Gilas also lost to Vietnam in overtime 21-19 in the preliminaries.

Men’s coach Lester Del Rosario praised his players for trying to overcome the three American players of Cambodia.

“They gave their all and fought even if we played against Americans. I’m proud of them,” said Del Rosario.

“We started in the group of death and probably it’s not our time yet. But I’m happy with the podium finish but we are also sorry for not winning the gold. We will try to re-strategize,” said Gilas women’s coach Pat Aquino.