SEREMBAN (Malaysia) - Japan strung together a decisive run during the payoff period en route to beating China, 73-68, to head straight into the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup 2026 Semi-Finals, Tuesday at the Karisma Arena.
Riko Katsube and Moe Sakata nailed a triple each, before Miya Takeuchi scored the next 5 points for an 11-0 assault toward a 68-57 lead with 5:11 remaining, putting themselves in control all the way to the end.
Another 3-point play conversion by Takeuchi for the 73-66 lead with 42.3 seconds left to play proved to be the knockout punch that allowed the AKATSUKI JAPAN to complete a three-game sweep of Group B.
The charges of Coach Yoshikazu Suzuki clinched the top spot in the group, which not only merits an outright Semi-Finals berth but a qualification ticket to the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2027 as well.
Takeuchi, MVP of the FIBA U16 Women's Asia Cup 2025 that was held in this very city, top-scored for the Japanese with 16 points, which he laced with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 of the team's 12 steals.
Katsube finished with 14 points, spiked by a pair of triples. Sakata also knocked down two from deep and supplied 11 points, while Kako Otsuki contributed 10 points and 5 assists as the duo bannered the bench support.
Making the win all the more sweeter for Japan is that it snapped their 2-game skid against the 16-time champions, toppling their East Asian foes for the first time since a 76-59 rout during the 2022 Group Phase.
Li Yuanshan had 16 points to lead China, who settled for second in the pool with a 2-1 record and will be taking on Group B's No. 3 team in the Philippines in the Qualification to Semi-Finals on Thursday, October 8.
Gilas Youth beat New Zealand earlier, 69-64, for their first win in Division A, coming back from down 39-30 at the half for a historic victory for a program that once toiled in Division B before earning the promotion in 2024.
Forwards Zhao Zirui and Sun Hanyun backed her up with 13 points apiece. Chen Yuxin added 10 points and 5 rebounds in the loss.
Li, Chen, and Sun Ruiyang tried to tow Team Dragon back into the ball game and they did manage to chop the deficit to just four, 70-66, following Li's split from the free throw line with 1:03 to spare.
But Japan could no longer be denied, with Takeuchi getting the hoop and the harm, serving as the exclamation point to a strong showing personally as she scored 10 of her points in the deciding chapter alone.
FIBA