BENGALURU (India) - As the biggest stage for women’s basketball in Asia, the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup has seen its share of highly exciting games between the best basketball nations in the region. Here are just some of the most memorable games from the recent editions of the competition, just to set as an example for the intensity of the matchups that will be up ahead in Bengaluru, India from September 24-29.

Which rematch will you be looking forward to the most this year?

Chinese Taipei vs Korea (63-58)

October 31, 2013

Over the past decade leading up to this game, Chinese Taipei had never won a single game over Korea at the Women’s Asia Cup. In 8 straight matchups at this setting, Chinese Taipei had been handed defeats by a strong Korean squad. You’d have to go back to October 8, 2001 for Chinese Taipei’s last win over Korea and even then, it was a win in the Group Phase. The results would flip later in the 3^rd place game to Korea, denying Chinese Taipei a medal finish.

12 years later, Chinese Taipei finally snapped the long running curse. They started strong and finished stronger by withstanding the comeback rallies of Korea. Even a red-hot shooting performance of 23 points on 9-18 shooting from the field by star, Beon Yeon Ha, was not enough for Korea to overturn the outcome.

Everyone who got on the court contributed in scoring for Chinese Taipei. Chen Yu-Chun recorded her Women’s Asia Cup career-high with 13 points; Scorer Huang Ping-Jen had 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists; Huang Ling-Yi knocked down a mid-range dagger to seal the deal in the final minute.

(Chen Yu-Chun, Women's Asia Cup 2013)

Certainly a memorable day for Chinese Taipei at the Women’s Asia Cup.

Korea vs China (71-66)

November 2, 2013

Korea eventually overcame the loss to Chinese Taipei, making it all the way to the Semi-finals to face China for a ticket to the championship game. China came in to the Women’s Asia Cup 2013 as the 2-time defending champion, featuring the legendary Chen Nan and rising star Gao Song. Just as the case had been in the past 2 Women’s Asia Cup, it looked like Korea would see their path end at the hands of China once again.

True to form, China had built up quite a lead in the third quarter that was nearly on the verge of expanding to double digits. And then, Korea fought back. Beon exploded for another huge scoring game, ending up with 22 points. She was also the one to hit arguably the biggest shot: a corner three with the shot clock expiring and one minute left in the game to extend Korea’s lead from 1 to 4 points.

The victory put Korea in the Women’s Asia Cup finals for the 5^th straight time.

Japan vs China (57-56)

September 1, 2015

Ever since the year 2000 until this Women’s Asia Cup game, China had dominated the head-to-head clashes with 9 wins in 11 games. This also included 2 victories over Japan in the 2001 and 2003 editions of the competition, so the stakes are always high between these two teams.

Without much surprise, the game was close from start to finish with Japan only holding their biggest lead of 9 points for s short span of time.

Gao Song (12 points), Shao Ting (15 points), and eventual MVP Ramu Tokashiki (19 points) all put up big scoring numbers, but the hero of the game turned out to be none other than the living legend Asami Yoshida. Showing off her nifty handles and a beautiful pump-fake, Yoshida dropped in the come-from-behind winner straight through the hearts of the fans in Wuhan.

Yoshida had 10 rebouds, 7 assists, and only 6 points in that game, but made the 2 points that mattered the most at the end. Japan rode that wave on to the championship game, eventually defeat China for a second straight time to win their second straight Women’s Asia Cup.

(Asami Yoshida, Women's Asia Cup 2015)

Japan vs China (74-71)

July 28, 2017

China were on the verge of breaking through on their way back to the Women’s Asia Cup title game once again while taking down 2-time defending champions Japan in the process. They were up by 9 points with less than 6 minutes left in the game, so close to serving a cold dish of revenge to their rivals.

Even without Women’s Asia Cup 2015 hero Yoshida playing in the game, Japan found a way to reclaim control of the game and finish with a 14-2 run for the win. The mastermind behind the run was Manami Fujioka who stepped up marvelously in the absence of Yoshida to put up 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 14 assists.

This was certainly an instant classic, but it didn’t take long for another game to match the claim as one of the best Women’s Asia Cup games ever…

Japan vs Australia (74-73)

July 29, 2017

In their first ever Women’s Asia Cup appearance, Australia were running over the competition, winning by an average margin of 25.0 points heading into the championship game. Even Japan, 2-time defending champions who they would be facing in the Finals, were dealt a 9-point loss earlier in the Group Phase.

Japan would need an inspirational performance in this final game, if they were going to achieve this three-peat. In Saki Mizushima, an inspirational performance they got.

(Saki Mizushima, WOmen's Asia Cup 2017)

The seldom used sharpshooter had scored a total of only 18 points in the previous 4 games, even laying goose eggs in matches against China and Korea. It turned out that she might have been saving all of her ammo for the last game, finishing with 26 points on 7 three-pointers. Mizushima was even the one to land the haymaker in the last two minutes with a tough three-pointer to break the 71-71 tie and take the lead for good.

Australia star and eventual tournament MVP, Kelsey Griffin, scored 30 points, the most in a Women’s Asia Cup finals since 2005, but it was not enough to deny Japan’s successful claim at a three-peat. 

FIBA