WUHAN (2015 FIBA Asia Women's Championship) - Japan bookended their dominance in Level I (Group A) of the 2015 FIBA Asia Women's Championship by blowing out Thailand, 95-43, and completing a sweep of group play.

The Japanese started the game like a house on fire, limiting Thailand to only 6 total points in the first quarter while scoring 26 of their own. That set the tone for the unqualified rout, which saw Japan walk away with the top seed heading into Friday's Semi-Finals.

As can be expected, the reigning champions Japan outclassed the Thais in every imaginable way. They were better in most aspects, with the exception of free-throw shooting, where the Thais shot 80 percent, while Japan just connected on half of their charity shots.

Sanae Motokawa led Japan with 16 points in under 18 minutes, while Yuki Miyazawa had 15 points in under 14 minutes of play.

Thailand, meanwhile, were paced by Thidaporn Maihom, who scattered 15 points on 4-of-7 field goal shooting.

Turning Point: Thailand's disastrous play in the first quarter was a harbinger of things to come as they struggled all throughout to keep in step with the highly-skilled Japanese. After getting behind by such a big margin early, Thailand couldn’t mount any serious rally, and the outcome was beyond doubt.

Stats Don't Lie: Japan's aggressive and swarming defense was in full effect here, forcing Thailand to commit a total of 40 turnovers. Coach Tomohide Utsumi's wards collected a total of 27 steals, with six players recording at least 3 steals each.

Game Hero: Miyazawa was at her best in this game. She was active on both ends of the floor and punished the Thais with relentless attacks on offense and unparalleled tenacity on defense. Aside from her scoring, she also contributed 6 steals and 4 rebounds.

The Bottom Line: Japan's win here underscores their ability to defend the crown they won two years ago. They have so far displayed the most grit of any team in the field, and have repeatedly come up big in big moments. As long as things don’t miscarry, they should remain a favorite to make the Final and have a strong chance of retaining their seat on the Asian throne. Thailand, meanwhile, failed miserably to mount a serious challenge against the defending champs. Now, the Thais will have to fight for their spot in Level I (Group A) in the Qualifying Round against dangerous DPR Korea.

FIBA