Asia Cup Glory: China’s Women’s Basketball Team Defeats Japan in Championship Clash
China Shocks Japan to Capture Women’s Asia Cup Basketball Title
In a stunning upset, China emerged victorious over the five-time defending champions, Japan, with a final score of 73-71, securing their first women’s Asia Cup basketball championship in over a decade. The game was marked by an outstanding performance from center Han Xu, who contributed 26 points for the Chinese team.
Han, who plays for the New York Liberty in the WNBA, also displayed her versatility with 10 rebounds and two assists during the intense match held at Sydney Olympic Park. Alongside her, Li Meng, another standout player, added 17 points to propel China to their 12th crown and their first since 2011, ending Japan’s quest for a sixth consecutive title.
The victory shattered Japan’s dominance in the tournament, a streak dating back to Bangkok in 2013, and dashed the hopes of the Tokyo Olympic silver medalists to extend their reign. Since the inception of the Asia Cup in 1965, only Japan, China, and South Africa have claimed the championship.
Meanwhile, the host nation Australia secured the bronze medal for the third consecutive tournament by convincingly defeating New Zealand with a score of 81-59.
China’s coach, Zheng Wei, expressed his disbelief and pride in his team’s accomplishment, stating, “It feels unreal. We didn’t expect we could be champions before the tournament started.” Despite initial challenges such as injuries and player availability during their training camp, the Chinese team showed remarkable improvement throughout the competition.
The thrilling final saw both teams fiercely competing, with an evenly matched first quarter ending at 17-17. With Han’s exceptional performance leading the way, China went on a 7-0 run in the second quarter, but Japan swiftly mounted a comeback, displaying their trademark speed and defensive aggression. Japan took a 35-26 lead at halftime, capitalizing on an 18-2 scoring run.
However, China turned up the intensity in the third quarter, eventually regaining a slim one-point advantage. Japan fought back resiliently, and with a 51-48 lead entering the final stretch, the stage was set for a nail-biting finish. In the end, China displayed composure and emerged as the champions, securing the title in a game that went down to the wire.
Japan’s coach, Toru Onzuka, acknowledged the strength of the Chinese team and expressed admiration, saying, “We can learn from this (Chinese) team, they are a great team.”
Notably, all four semi-finalists in the eight-team competition secured a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympic qualifying tournament, highlighting the significance of their achievements beyond the Asia Cup.
