Seremban (Malaysia) - Australia aims to secure a third consecutive championship at the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup 2026 after advancing to the Final for the third straight year. The Gems will face Japan, who are also undefeated in the tournament with a 4-0 record.
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Head coach Kristi Harrower expressed confidence in her team's performance after their 78-59 victory over China in the Semi-Finals. She acknowledged Japan's toughness, stating, "They play hard, they play physical ... we just gotta be able to handle their pressure. And, make sure that we come out ready to play like we did today, which we will because it's a gold medal game."
The championship game is set for 19:00 local time, marking a historic moment as it is the first Final since 1990 without China participating. Australia and Japan, both esteemed programs, will meet for the third time in this tournament, having previously split their encounters. Japan won their first match-up 90-77 in the 2018 Semi-Finals, but Australia claimed victory in their next encounter with a 68-63 win in the 2020 Semi-Finals.
Japanese head coach Yoshikazu Suzuki noted that some players, including star guard Miya Takeuchi, are motivated by their previous Semi-Final loss in the U16 tournament last year. "We lost in the Semi-Finals of the U16 last year and we have three players from that team. That's one of the reasons why our players have been playing really well," he said after their 80-43 win over Korea in the Semi-Finals.
This Final offers Japan a chance to end an 18-year title drought, their last championship coming in 2008 against China. With both teams eager for victory, the matchup promises to be highly competitive.
In the Third-Place Game, China will face Korea at 16:00 local time, with China favored to win given their previous record of 12 victories against Korea in this event, including a recent 79-61 win during the 2024 Semi-Finals.