Australia beat Japan yesterday to claim the country’s first win at the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Women’s Asia Cup, which was held in Shenzhen. Defending champion China missed out on the top spot after losing to Japan in the semi-finals but emerged victorious against South Korea to clinch third place. In the final, Australia defeated Japan 88-79, reaching a 16-point lead in the second quarter. With this win, the team has secured a guaranteed spot at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin. [See more: University of Macau coach Lam Teng Long on winning a national basketball title] Australian player Alexandra Fowler was named the Most Valuable Player. Fowler, who has never played in the Women’s Asia Cup before, made a striking first impression by scoring 15 points in the final, with an overall efficiency of 20.0. Meanwhile, China overpowered South Korea in the bronze medal match, ending with a score of 101-66. The victory continued China’s 13-year medal streak that started in 2001. Coach Gong Luming told FIBA that the team was treating the tournament “like a quiz” in preparation for the Olympics in 2028 – and he would give the team a passing score. “Throughout this Asia Cup, we learnt a great deal from our opponents,” Gong said.