SEREMBAN (Malaysia) - The FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup 2026 - Division A kicks off on Sunday, raising the question of whether Group B will feature an open race among traditional favorites. Japan emerges as a frontrunner, bolstered by star playmaker Miya Takeuchi, who led her team to a third-place finish in last year’s FIBA U16 Women’s Asia Cup. Takeuchi was named Tournament MVP in that event, helping Japan defeat China, which also brings players from the same competition.
Read More
Japan is eager to reclaim the title for the first time since 2008 after consecutive third-place finishes in the last two editions. Their strong team cohesion may be key to their success.
China and Chinese Taipei are significant challengers in this group. China, which made a strong comeback to the finals in the last tournament held in Shenzhen, has the absence of 7'3" center Zhang Ziyu, who was instrumental in their success but now anchors the senior team. The Chinese squad, nonetheless, features familiar faces from the U16 team, such as Li Yuanshan, who also made the All-Star Five.
Chinese Taipei is also aiming to return to the semi-finals after a sixth-place finish in 2024. They lost to New Zealand in the previous tournament but are determined to qualify for the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
As the host nation, Malaysia enjoys homecourt advantage for the first time in 14 years. Team Harimau will seek to prove their merit in Division A after narrowly avoiding relegation in 2024, where they secured their sole victory against Indonesia in a close 67-66 overtime match.
The first matchup in Group B features Japan against Chinese Taipei, but the anticipated clash between Japan and China on October 6 at 16:30 local time stands out. Historically, China leads the series with a 13-4 record, having recently defeated Japan 97-81 in the 2024 group phase with an impressive performance from Zhang, who scored 44 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
This upcoming encounter could potentially determine the top seed for Group B.