FIBA U16 Women's Asia Championship 2017 Quarter-Finals Preview

BENGALURU (FIBA U16 Women's Asia Championship 2017) - The knockout Quarter-Finals begin today, and it will separate the contenders from the pretenders at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium.

Here's a preview of every Quarter-Finals matchup to see which teams are projected to do well and which ones will likely have an uphill climb.

AUSTRALIA vs HONG KONG

The Australians enter this game unbeaten, and there's little reason to think they will be on the wrong end of the upset axe. Hong Kong have struggled big time in this tournament, and unless they wax really hot from long range, the prospects of even sticking close to the Sapphires are grim at best. What Australia have to be careful of is making sure all their key players don't get injured at such a crucial juncture of the competition.

CHINA vs KOREA

Both these teams are coming off losses at the close of group play, and both are extremely hungry to prove they are worthy title contenders. The Chinese should be slight favorites in this matchup owing to their imposing frontline made up of Liu Yutong and Wan Jiyuan, but if Korea's gunners catch fire from long distance then all bets are off. Korea haven't been able to find their rhythm yet, though, and doing so against no less than the defending champions will certainly be quite the tall order.

NEW ZEALAND vs THAILAND

The U16 Tall Ferns have bee rock-solid despite dropping their opener to Australia. On Days 2 and 3, they were quite impressive, drubbing Korea and surviving Chinese Taipei. Charisse Leger-Walker's production will be key not only in this match but in the succeeding ones should New Zealand stay true to form and overpower the undersized Thais. The SEABA quintet, however, may pose a challenge, especially since they are riding high from their Day 3 win over Hong Kong. If the Thais manage to stay within striking distance in the second half, then anything can happen.

JAPAN vs CHINESE TAIPEI

Japan continue to confound their foes with their trademark quickness, skill and grit. Their teamwork and defense have been nothing short of stellar, and there are no signs of a drop-off against their East Asia rivals here. Taipei nearly pulled off a stunner on Day 3 against New Zealand, falling short in the fourth quarter, but they served notice that they could hang with bigger and deeper teams. If Japan take Chinese Taipei for granted, this contest could be closer than expected.

FIBA