IND - Day 3 Round-Up: FIBA Asia U16 Women Championship

JOHOR BAHRU (FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Women) - East Asian foursome - China, Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei - rolled ahead, all remaining as the only teams unbeaten after three days of competition at the Shivchhatrapati Sports Complex on Wednesday.

China began the day whipping Philippines 129-36 in a Group A game, as did Chinese Taipei in their 95-37 win against India later. In other Group A action, Hong Kong notched their first win beating Singapore 72-47.

Korea and Japan emerged, expectedly, facile victors in Group B.

Korea needed a late second quarter to carry them past a doughty Malaysia 88-60, but Japan didn't have too much to worry against Kazakhstan in their 125-44 win.

Thailand completed the day in Group B, as well as the engagements for the day, picking their first win - after losing to big guns Korea and Japan - with a comfortable 57-29 win against Sri Lanka.

Group A: Li Meng dazzles again for China

Li Meng dazzled yet again in the Chinese scoring spree and this time the 185cm Bayi Army Basketball Club forward went on to finish with a deserving game-high 27 points.

Li returned a staggering 85% (11/13) record in field attempts, including the lone three-pointer in three attempts.

Sun Mengxin provided the perfect the support playing hard at both ends of the floor and finished with a game-high six assists to go with her 20 points.

Li and Sun thus negated the speed of the Filipinos and Zhang Liting, the 199cm giant centre, took care of the rest for the Chinese.

Chinese Taipei, similar to China, proved too skillful for their rivals - hosts India.

A 13-5 scoring advantage in the final five minutes of the first quarter provided the launch pad for Lin Yu-ting and Wang Wei-lin to propel Taipei forward.

Pune girl Shireen Limaye's feisty performance came as a refreshing change for the local crowd.

India play Hong Kong and Singapore over the next two days.

Hong Kong and Singapore fought on even keel, in the battle of minnows for the large part of the encounter till the former's ability to endure longer saw them through.

Group B: Korea dash Malaysian hopes; Japan, Thailand win

Helped by a couple of Korean turnovers at the end of the first quarter, Malaysia breathed down their more fancied rivals' neck.

But only till Korea broke away in the latter part of the second quarter, with a 9-0 run, that helped them close the first half 46-35, from where they only pulled away more.

All 24 players in a game took to the field for the first time in the Championship in the game where Japan beat Kazakhstan. That was the most significant factor in the game, especially from the Kazakh point of view for whom the game must have come as a huge learning experience.

Japan scored the first nine points of the game and raced ahead 11-2 in the first five minutes, Natalya Popova's success in the paint keeping the Kazakhstan from drawing a blank.

Naoko Chikahira scored five of her 12 points for the game and Rina Hill scored four of her 10 in this period as Japan gained control.

Erina Sugawara, however, was the leading scorer for Japan with 21 points.

Thailand, who showed some brisk efforts in their losses to Korea and Japan, despite pitted against much superior outfits, proved more than a handful for Sri Lanka.

Scores

Group A

China 129 (Li Meng 27, Sun Mengxin 20, Zhang Liting 17, Shen Yi 13, Ma Xueya 12, Dong Bo 10) bt Philippines 36 (Lore Rivera 14). Quarterwise Scores: 33-13, 70-19, 95-27.

Hong Kong 72 (Wong Ka Yee 19) bt Singapore 47. Quarterwise Scores: 12-13, 30-23, 46-33.

Chinese Taipei 95 (Lin Yu-ting 24, Wang Wei-lin 22, Yang Jung 12) bt India 37 (Kavita Akula 12, Shireen Limaye 11). Quarterwise Scores: 23-12, 40-20, 69-32.

Group B

Japan 125 (Erina Sugawara 21, Moeko Nagaoka 17, Rie Izumita 17, Mikoto Onuma 14, Ryoka Takeda 13, Naoko Chikahira 12, Rina Hill 10) bt Kazakhstan 44 (Olga Rybalko 10). Quarterwise Scores: 27-7, 56-15, 93-35.

Korea 88 (Kyelee Kang 18, Eunji Kim 17, Dajeong Park 16, Yeajin Cha 14) bt Malaysia 60 (Yap Fook Yee 20, Lee Jo Rynn 13, Ooi Poh Yee 12). Quarterwise Scores: 22-21, 46-35, 65-45.

Thailand 57 (Naruemon Sapmee 13) bt Sri Lanka 29 (Dona Rajapakse 18). Quarterwise Scores: 14-5, 26-17, 46-19.

S Mageshwaran
FIBA Asia