SHENZHEN (China) - The FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025 Division B continued to deliver thrilling basketball drama on Monday at the Shenzhen Sports Center, as teams battled fiercely for early supremacy and momentum in this hotly contested tournament.
When the smoke cleared, Mongolia and Kazakhstan broke into the win column, while Chinese Taipei logged their second straight victory.
Mongolia Edge Thailand in a Nail-Biter
Kicking off the day’s action, Mongolia pulled off a hard-fought 79-74 victory over Thailand in a game that had fans on the edge of their seats. Both teams came wanting to claim their first triumph, but it was Mongolia’s resilience and clutch plays down the stretch that made the difference.
Thailand led by as many as nine points in the second half, but coach Francisco Garcia Alvarez's squad would not give up. Behind the Nyamjav Nandinkhusel, Bolor-Erdene Baatar and Ariuntsetseg Bat-Erdene, Mongolia rallied and booked their first win of the tournament. As such, they put themselves into the thick of Group B contention, while Thailand face an uphill battle to stay competitive.
Nandinkhusel led Mongolia with 19 points and 7 rebounds, while Khulan Onolbaatar added a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double. Rattiyakorn Udomsuk paced Thailand with 21 points.
Chinese Taipei cruise past India
In the second game of the day, Chinese Taipei flexed their offensive firepower with a commanding 83-39 win over fellow Day 1 winners, India. After a tight first few minutes that saw Chinese Taipei hold on to a slim two-point lead, 12-10, coach Chiu Chi-Yi's squad ended on a 7-0 flurry to take a 19-10 edge into the second period. They never looked back after that, with their speedy guards and crisp ball movement aiding their every run. India fought valiantly but couldn’t contain the relentless pace and depth of Chinese Taipei, who now sit atop Group A with a perfect 2-0 record. India fall to 1-1 but remain very much in the hunt.
All players scored at least 4 points for Chinese Taipei with Lin Yu-Ting's 13 points leading the way. Anmolpreet Kaur's 8 points were the team-high for India.
Kazakhstan bounce back against Tahiti
In the day’s final contest, Kazakhstan responded to their opening day loss with a confident 69-49 victory against Tahiti. This was a cose game for one quarter, but Kazakhstan’s balanced attack and tenacious defense eventually stifled Tahiti’s offense, helping them control the tempo for the rest of the game. The win keeps Kazakhstan’s hopes alive in Group B, while Tahiti are left searching for answers after their second straight defeat.
With Chinese Taipei asserting dominance in Group A in addition to Mongolia and Kazakhstan making strong moves in Group B, the race for promotion is heating up.
FIBA