SEREMBAN (Malaysia) - Much of the attention will be on Australia as their bid of making FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup history leans on how good they will do in the Semi-Finals of the 2026 competitions this Friday.
But not to be forgotten are the other teams in China, Japan, and Korea, as these traditional contenders have been itching to taste that golden feeling again after falling short in the past, especially in the last two editions.
Yes, the only four countries to have ever won the biennial youth tournament make up the 'Final Four,' and that fact should add to the many layers that make fans and observers alike excited for the penultimate stage.
Semi-Finals action begins at 16:30 local time featuring Japan and Korea, with the former just one of two undefeated teams in this tilt after sweeping all of their three assignments in Group B.
Aside from having the luxury of rest as compared to their foes that needed to get through the play-in, the mental edge is on the Japanese, having beaten the Koreans in the Third-Place Game of the 2024 event, 69-54.
Per available records, both teams have fought one another in the contest for 14 times, with Team Japan winning nine. So needless to say, their rivals would want to trim that deficit in their upcoming clash.
And if ever they do, then it would bring Korea to their first Final appearance in 22 long years, or since the 2004 games in Shenzhen in which they ultimately settled for a runner-up finish behind the host country.
But of course, Japan would also want to return to the Big Dance. They haven't done so since 2018, which marked the fifth consecutive time they reached the Final although they lost in all of those trips to China.
Japan haven't struck gold since 2008 in Medan, Indonesia, where they actually beat China narrowly in the Final before the latter went on a revenge tour of sorts against them in the next five editions.
Playing at 19:00, on the other hand, would be Australia (3-0) and China in a rematch of the last two U18 Women's Asia Cup Finals, with the Gems hoping to continue their mastery of Team Dragon to annex a 'three-peat.'
Interestingly, they're trying to get closer to that goal against the team that last pulled off such a feat during its reign of dominance from 2010 to 2018, all of which came at the expense of Japan, as touched upon above.
Surely, the Chinese wouldn't want their Oceania counterparts from hitting that target, motivated to flip the script this time after losing twice already, including the 2024 Final where Zhang Ziyu & Co. bowed, 96-79.
Will the third time be the charm for the only 16-time champions?
Meanwhile, the Philippine and Chinese Taipei will duke it out in the Classification 5-6 at 14:00 local time, just before the Semi-Finals.
Crucial will be that bout - the two programs' first meeting since 1998, per available records - as the winner will join Australia, Japan, Korea, and host nation China in the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2027.
FIBA