Australia Stuns Japan, Secures Place in FIBA Asia Cup Semifinals
(MENAFN) Australia surged past Japan with a commanding 79-67 comeback victory on Tuesday, claiming the top position in Group B and securing a place in the semifinals of the FIBA Women's Asia Cup.
Trailing by nine points at the break, the Opals mounted a powerful second-half rally, outscoring Japan 37-16 to complete a dramatic turnaround.
Stephanie Reid led Australia’s offense with 15 points, while Zitina Lusia Aokuso contributed 14 and Sara Blicavs chipped in with 13. Four Australian players reached double digits in scoring.
"We know how good they are in transition and on the 3-point line. We did a poor job on that in the first half, but holding Japan to 16 points in the second half is a credit to the players' toughness," said Australia head coach Paul Goriss.
Both teams entered the game undefeated through two rounds, and the high-stakes showdown delivered intensity from the start. Australia edged ahead 26-22 after a tightly contested first quarter.
The second quarter saw both sides exchange three-pointers, with the score tied at 35 midway through. Japan then took control as Stephanie Mawuli scored seven consecutive points, helping her team pull ahead to a 51-42 halftime advantage.
Japan, which had previously struggled against lower-ranked opponents Lebanon and the Philippines, rediscovered its offensive rhythm in the first half. They sank 9-of-17 shots from long range (52.9%), a sharp contrast to Australia’s 3-of-11 showing from deep.
After halftime, Australia steadily closed the gap, leveling the score at 59-59 by the end of the third quarter.
Momentum stayed with the Opals in the final period. They relentlessly attacked the rim and seized control of the game. Holding a narrow 65-63 lead with six minutes left, they unleashed a pivotal 7-0 run that created a gap Japan couldn’t recover from.
"I'm very proud of my team. They did everything that I asked them to do, they executed, they played very hard," said Japan’s head coach Corey Gaines.
Japan’s standout performer was Mawuli, who led all scorers with 19 points.
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