India rally to seal final berth

Hosts India will face Kazakhstan for a spot in the top tier of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup after scoring a resounding win in the semifinals at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Friday.

In their Division B last four clash on Friday, India got past a gritty Lebanon 79-69 while Kazakhstan defeated Uzbekistan 77-51 in the other fixture.

Jeena Skaria hogged the limelight with 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Raspreet Sidhu also impressed with 17 points and five rebounds while skipper Anitha Paul Durai contributed 13 points and five assists.

For Lebanon, Rebecca Aki scored 20 points while Lama Moukaddem (16) and Chirine El Charif (15) made valuable contributions.

Meanwhile, favourites Australia and defending champions Japan will vie for top honours in Division A after recording contrasting wins in their respective last-four ties.

Australia humbled South Korea 81-64 while Japan overcame China 74-71 in a feisty encounter.

Japanese Manami Fujioka produced an electrifying performance to emerge as an undisputed star in the absence of Asami Yoshida, who sat out the game due to a calf-injury. Fujioka starred with 19 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds. Small forwards Yuki Miyazawa and Moeko Nagaoka also helped with 16 and 14 points respectively.

For China, small forward Shao Ting led the chart with 16 points, five assists and two rebounds.

Trailing 63-69 mid-way through the fourth quarter, Fujioka under pressure, pocketed a three-pointer to reduce the gap to 66-69. She then found the omnipresent Nagaoka inside the opponent’s cirle. She made no mistake from there as the lead was cut short to 68-69.

Skipper Maki Takada then sprung into action as the Tom Hovasse-coached-side snatched the advantage from China. Takada scored off a pass from Fujioka and converted two free throws to put Japan in front 71-69.

China, however, levelled the scores (71-71) almost immediately through Ting, who superbly intercepted a pass from Fujioka and went on to score with less than two minutes to go.

Japan eventually claimed the bragging rights when Miyazawa calmly pocketed the three-pointer to hand her side a place in the final.

Earlier, Australia established their supremacy with a 81-64 win over South Korea.

Results: Division A: Semifinals: Australia: 81 (Kelsey Griffin 16) bt South Korea: 64 (Sungyoung 14); China: 71 (Shao Ting 16) lost to Japan: 74 (Manami Fujioka 19, Yuki Miyazawa 16).

Classification (5-8): Chinese Taipei: 87 (Hsi-Le Bao 16) bt Philippines: 53 (France Mae Cabinbin 14); New Zealand: 82 (Jillian Harmon 15) bt North Korea: 61 (Jong Ok Ri 19).

Division B: Semifinals: Kazakhstan: 77 (Zalina Kurazova 24, Nadezhda Kondrakova 18) bt Uzbekistan: 51 (Anastasiya Sevastyanova 19); India: 79 (Jeena Skaria 20, Raspreet Sidhu 17) bt Lebanon: 69 (Rebecca Aki 20, Lama Moukaddem 16).

Classification (5-8): Sri Lanka: 64 (Sulochana Iddamalgoda 12) lt to Fiji: 65 (Miliakere Bulou Koyamainavure 22).

Saturday’s fixture: Division A: Final: Australia vs Japan (8 pm).

Division B: Final: India vs Kazakhstan (5.45 pm).