SEREMBAN (Malaysia) - Japan and China aced their assignments for a dominant start to their respective campaigns in the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup 2026-Division A at the Karisma Arena on Sunday evening.
The AKATSUKI JAPAN opened Group B play with an 83-55 conquest of Chinese Taipei, before Team Dragon flat-out dominated host nation Malaysia, 116-30, to conclude the opening day of competitions.
Six players finished in double figures for the Japanese, with Miya Takeuchi showing the way with 14 points. Moe Sakata supplied 12 points, while Marin Koike, Rio Matsumoto, and Kako Otsuki added 11 apiece.
Riko Katsube chipped in 10 points as all of these pieces contributed to their fiery 25-10 third-quarter barrage, which broke the game away for good after they held a narrow 34-32 entering the halftime intermission.
Koike herself powered a crucial 11-0 run that wiped out a 4-point deficit and turned it to a 45-36 lead for themselves. Otsuki and Takeuchi helped push the spread to 55-41, marking the start of the rout.
It was a massive second half overall for the Japanese, as they poured 51 points while limiting their East Asian rivals to only 21.
Ava Chang led Chinese Taipei with 11 points, with Chen Jou-An and Huang I-Chen the only players who backed her up with 10 each.
In the other game, in clearly an embarrassment of riches from the 16-time champions, all 12 players scored in the lopsided win, half of which finished in twin digits led by Sun Hanyun with 22 points and 8 rebounds.
Li Yuanshan supplied 15 points. Pang Yunshu made 13 points, with Chen Yuxin delivering 12. Zhao Zirui had 11 points and 6 rebounds, as He Siyao notched a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds for China.
China and Japan will try to go 2-0 tomorrow, October 5, as they switch opponents. China will take on Chinese Taipei in a rivalry affair set at 16:30 local time, followed by Japan's meeting with Team Harimau at 19:00.
FIBA