From her house’s half-court to arenas all over the world.
From playing with her brothers to playing alongside the country’s greatest.
At an early age, her love for the game came naturally, leading her on a path toward great things, from being a beacon of hope to donning the Philippine colors.
She is Camille Nolasco, the point guard for the UP Women’s Basketball Team and Gilas Pilipinas Women’s Team.
Breaking Barriers
Camille dribbled her first basketball at five years old, joining her dad and brothers at their home’s half-court.
Growing up, she was often one out of only two female ballers in basketball camps, motivating the 5-foot-3 guard to perform better and stand out among the male participants.
“Yung mga camps na sinasalihan ko, parang two lang kaming girls, so […] I was eager to perform kasi gusto ko malaman ng mga tao na kaya rin naman ng women’s basketball here in the Philippines,” she said. “Why not give them the same opportunity na meron yung mga boys? Para at a young age rin, nakikita ng mga young ladies na meron din palang gano’n for young ladies.”
At 14, she defied expectations and became one of the four players to represent Asia Pacific at the Jr. NBA Global Championship—the only girl to be selected from Team Philippines. In that moment, she did not just carry her name, but also the dreams of every young Filipina who dares to step onto the court.
“It’s really a different feeling when you’re wearing the Pilipinas jersey, kasi it’s really big what you’re representing. It’s more than a university or a school; it’s the whole country already. It’s not just the country you’re representing, [but also] all the Filipinos as well,” she said.
By 2022, she had competed in two FIBA youth campaigns and attended the Basketball Without Borders Asia camp, organized by the NBA, FIBA, and in collaboration with Basketball Australia for the top ballers in the Asia-Pacific to learn from NBA, WNBA, and FIBA stars and coaches.
After representing the U16, U17, and U18 Gilas Pilipinas Women’s Teams in various FIBA 3×3 and 5×5 basketball tournaments, she faced the world’s best young talents, proving Filipina ballers belong on the global stage.
Today, she continues to don the Pilipinas jersey in the senior team and she shares the court with Gilas Pilipinas teammates and fellow UAAP stars Louna Ozar, Camille Clarin and Ciel Pagdulagan.
But amid the accolades, she fights for something bigger—a future where young girls won’t have to fight for their place in the game.
Forwarding the Fight
Nolasco and her Gilas teammates have become pioneers in the rise of women’s basketball in the country, showing young girls that they, too, can make a name in a field dominated by boys.
“It has really come so far. Especially from a young age, dalawa lang kami sumasali sa camps na ‘yun, [and now,] ‘yung mga people, they really take time to watch the games already, and I’m just really happy,” the 19-year-old shared.
She is delighted about the thriving community of the local women’s basketball scene, which she believes boosts the morale of other females who have made their way onto the court.
“Mas nae-eager ka to perform kasi ayaw mo silang [other women players] biguin and siyempre, you want them to have the best experience also in watching,” she said.
While she has come far, she knows that better things are ahead of her.
“Super happy lang ako na malaki na talaga ang growth ng women’s basketball here in the Philippines, but I know na it won’t stop here and magco-continue lang siya to grow pa,” Nolasco added.
Several Gilas Pilipinas Women’s players, including Nolasco and fellow Fighting Maroon Ozar, participated in WNBA legend Sabrina Ionescu’s Asia Tour in Manila.
Their presence at the event showed just how far they have come and how women’s basketball has grown in the country. Seeing their idols up close inspired them and made them realize that they, too, can follow the footsteps of the players they look up to.
“[I]t’s important for a young kid to see a role model, and it’s nice na nakita nila si Sabrina. I feel like it would really help to inspire young girls to also pursue basketball,” she said.
Just like how Ionescu serves as one of her role models, Nolasco herself has become the role model young Filipinas look up to and hope to be like one day.
“It means a lot, especially [because] I know that I was once like them. I was once just a young kid looking up to female ballers [who] I see on the court. Mas nakakaganang maglaro if I know na someone is looking up to me and gusto mo lang mag-continue to perform,” the point guard expressed.
Nolasco did not give up her love for the game usually associated with boys and pursued her dreams. Her experiences only fueled her to become better and pave the way for girls to have the opportunities she didn’t have before.
“I feel like I had to take that step [to be one of the boys] in order na magkaroon na ng mga girls camp ngayon. […] May time na naiinis ako kasi syempre yung mga young guys ayaw nila dumepensa sa babae. Those were the moments that would make yourself want to prove na kaya namang makipag-basketball ng mga girls,” she recalled.
Now, Nolasco dreams of a future where opportunities for young girls do not come as an afterthought. She envisions more grassroots programs, more training camps and more avenues for young girls to learn and thrive in the sport.
Her advice to young lads? “Just try out the sport.”
She found joy in basketball as a child, and the lessons she learned on the court stretched far beyond the hardwood.
“It’s different when you really [fall] in love with the game [kasi] ang dami mo talagang makukuha from it,” Nolasco shared.
When asked about how she wants to be remembered, she answered, “I’d want them to think I was able to impact the game here, women’s basketball here in the Philippines. I was able to impact [it] in a better way, and I was really able to inspire a lot of young kids to pursue this sport.”
While this is only the beginning of the rise of women’s basketball in the country, she has already left a legacy. And as she continues to rise, she makes sure to lift others with her, ensuring that the next generation of Filipina hoopers never have to fight alone.
