Australia won their first FIBA Women’s Asia Cup title, defeating Japan 88-79 in the Shenzhen Sports Centre in China. The Opals, who are ranked second in the world by FIBA, took the lead early and led by 11 points at halftime. Japan, the six-time Asian champs, made a determined comeback in the final quarter.
Yuki Miyazawa, Japan’s power forward, closed the gap with three straight three-pointers with seven minutes left. However, Japan missed vital free throws in the closing minutes. Australia regained control with crucial baskets from Alexandra Fowler and Alex Brooke Wilson. The final buzzer saw Australia celebrate its first Asia Cup victory after finishing runners-up to Japan in 2017. Fowler, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, topped Australia’s scoring with 15 points. Wilson scored 14 points, and point guard Stephanie Reid had 13 in the win.
Japan’s teenage star Kokoro Tanaka, who scored 27 points in the semifinals against China, finished with 21 points and nine assists in the final. Despite her outstanding performance, Japan settled for silver. Earlier, China finished third after defeating South Korea 101-66, with 18-year-old Zhang Ziyu scoring 18 points and grabbing seven rebounds to extend China’s podium streak at the event to 1976.
