China displayed their dominance in the FIBA Women’s Basketball Asia Cup as they defeated Japan in a thrilling final showdown. The host country, Australia, fell short against China in the semi-final with a final score of 74-60.
Meanwhile, Japan showcased their strength with a commanding 88-52 victory over New Zealand in the other semi-final match.
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Throughout the tournament, Han Xu emerged as a standout player for China, consistently contributing to their success. Her impressive performance of 17 points and 15 rebounds greatly influenced China’s victory.
The final match between China and Japan, scheduled for July 2, was highly anticipated as it aimed to break Japan’s reign as the five-time defending champions of the Asia Cup. China sought revenge after their previous two Asia Cup final losses to Japan, including a close 78-73 defeat two years ago.
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Japan’s journey to the final was remarkable, especially after their disappointing ninth-place finish at the previous year’s World Cup. They aimed to redeem themselves and claim the Asia Cup title. Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand, both eliminated in the semi-finals, battled it out for the third-place position on July 2.
An important aspect to note is that the top four teams from the FIBA Women’s Basketball Asia Cup—China, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand—secured qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Qualifying tournament. This accomplishment granted them the opportunity to compete for a spot in the upcoming Olympic Games.
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Furthermore, South Korea, a historically successful team with 12 titles in the Asia Cup, secured fifth place by defeating the Philippines 80-71 in an earlier classification game.
