SEREMBAN (Malaysia) - Australia swept their way into the FIBA U16 Women's Asia Cup 2025 Semi-Finals following a 126-46 conquest of the erstwhile unbeaten Chinese Taipei at the Karisma Arena, Wednesday.
The Sapphires unloaded an 11-0 run - triggered by Sophie Richardson and Isabel Smith - to end the opening frame with a 28-11 lead, and then broke away in the ensuing period on the way to clinching the top spot in Group A.
Now toting a pristine 3-0 record, the four-peat seekers' entry to the final four has also formalized their qualification to the prestigious FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup in Czechia to be held next year.
Smith led the young Aussies with a game-high 19 points alongside 2 rebounds and 9 assists, while Richardson came through with 17 points as the tandem combined for eight of the team's 11 three-pointers.
Madison Ryan supplied 13 points and 6 assists. Marianela Fakalata tallied a 12-3-4 stat line while the duo of Jemyma Manyok and Laura Seiz chipped in 11 apiece, with the former adding 13 rebounds to her name.
Team Australia shot an excellent 65.7-percent from the floor but it was also their defense that proved key, as they held Chinese Taipei to that low of an output - that, after they averaged 81.0 points in their last two games.
Lin Nian-Zhen led Chinese Taipei with 11 points in the defeat.
Meanwhile, Tiffany Reyes came through in the clutch to lift the Philippines past Korea, 77-75, to give the program its first-ever victory in Division A competitions - and more importantly remain in contention.
The 1.87 M (6'1") guard, who's actually celebrating her 15th birthday today, lost the defense with a solid fake before stepping in for the game-winning jumper to beat the buzzer and save her side from a meltdown.
The Gilas Girls coughed up the 69-60 lead they built early in the fourth quarter and found themselves exchanging leads with their East Asian counterparts in the final minute, until Reyes' display of steely resolve.
Reyes finished with 16 points as the Philippines finally barged into the win column, which has also enabled the team to finish third in Group A and qualify for the Qualification to Semi-Finals on Friday.
Ella Smith top-scored for the Philippines with 21 points and 7 rebounds, while Ruiza Olmos made 12 points - including the split from the foul line with 10.3 seconds left that tied the game at 75-all.
Lim Seun, on the other hand, had 31 points and 8 rebounds for Korea, who absorbed their third defeat in as many outings and are bound to play in the Classification 7-8 on Friday as well to avoid relegation.
There, they will face the team finishing last in the other group, indeed an odd situation for a squad that's bagged home four medals in the past, the most recent of which was a bronze back in 2022.
FIBA