FIBA Asia Cup 2025: Australia rallies past Japan to secure semifinal spot

Australia rallied past Japan 79-67 to finish as Group B leader, securing a semifinal spot at the FIBA Women's Asia Cup here on Tuesday. Down by nine points at halftime, Australia bounced back strongly in the second half, outscoring Japan 37-16 to secure a dramatic win. Four Australian players scored in doubles figures, with Stephanie Reid (168-G-1996, college: Buffalo) leading the way with 15 points. Zitina Aokuso (193-F/C-1998) and Sara Blicavs (189-F-1993) added 14 and 13 points respectively. "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 coach Paul Goriss. Both teams remained unbeaten after two rounds, and the clash between them lived up to the hype, with a nip-and-tuck first quarter ending in Australia's favor at 26-22. The two sides traded baskets from beyond the arc early in the second quarter, with the score knotted at 35-35 at the midpoint of the quarter. Stephanie Mawuli (182-C-1998) scored seven straight points as Japan began to take a stranglehold of the game en route to a 51-42 halftime lead. Struggling against the lower-ranked Lebanon and the Philippines in the past two games, Japan rediscovered its offensive groove in the first half, nailing nine 3-pointers on 17 attempts for an impressive 52.9%, compared to Australia's 3-of-11 effort from beyond the arc. Australia clawed back into contention after the interval, bringing the game level at 59-59 heading into the final frame. Australia was not done in its comeback efforts, attacking the basket consecutively to take a firm grip on the game. Leading 65-63 with six minutes remaining, the Opals had a decisive 7-0 run to break the game open and never looked back. "I'm very proud of my team. They did everything that I asked them to do, they executed, they played very hard," said Corey Gaines, head coach of Japan. Mawuli top scored with 19 points for Japan.
Courtesy of: english.news.cn