FIBA U16 Women's Asian 2023 Division B: The 8 teams vying for promotion

AMMAN (Jordan) - Who will get promoted?

That's the biggest question waiting to be answered now that the FIBA U16 Women's Asian Championship 2023 - Division B is all set to take place on July 10-16 in the Jordanian capital.

Eight teams split into two groups are set to slug it out in another edition of the continental youth showcase, all motivated by one thing and one thing only: bring themselves to Division A.

The U16 Asian Women's Championship had adopted the promotion-relegation system in 2017, and teams in the second division have since been going all out as only one ticket to the top is available.

Here is a look at the past nations that have secured their place in Division A, and the programs that are trying to emulate that success in the tournament that's drawing closer.

Previous winners: India, Samoa

India swept Division B in 2017 on the way to earning the promotion. They went 3-0 in the Group Phase, beat Kazakhstan in the Semi-Finals, and finally downed Malaysia in the finale.

Samoa became the second team to join Division A by conquering the 2022 edition also in Amman behind one of the best turnarounds in the U16 Asian Women's Championship.

A team that only went 1-2 in the Group Phase, the crew edged out Kazakhstan in the Qualification to Semis before blowing past the previously unbeaten Philippines in the Semis. They then beat Syria in the Final to get the job done to achieve the best finish by any Samoan team in the FIBA stage.

Favorites: Philippines, Iran

The Philippines immediately wowed Amman in the U16 Women's Asian Championship last year by sweeping all of their three games in the Group Phase to lock a Semi-Finals spot.

Unfortunately, they were unable to maximize that advantage, suffering a loss to eventual champions Samoa, a team they had previously beaten in the Group Phase. The Filipina cagers eventually settled for a third-place finish by venting their frustrations on Lebanon in the battle for third.

On the other hand, Iran have been in Division B since 2017. They managed to reach the Semis that year and went on to finish fourth. The team couldn't replicate such in the 2022 meet as they lost to eventual runners-up Syria in the Qualification to Semis, eventually finishing fifth.

Returnees: Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Maldives

Malaysia and Maldives are back to competing in Division B since 2017, with both teams hoping for far better finishes this time than when the tilt was held in Bengaluru.

While Maldives finished dead last in the seven-team field, Malaysia came so close of earning the coveted Division A ticket but fell to India, 48-64, in the Final.

Meanwhile, teams that last competed in the 2015 U16 Women's Asian Championship are making their way back into the scene as well, namely Hong Kong and Singapore.

Newcomer: Guam

Guam are now the latest to participate in the U16 Women's Asian Championship, marking yet another involvement for a developing program that hit major strides at other levels last year.

Out to shock: Jordan

Jordan wanted to make their first U16 Women's Asian Championship appearance since 2013 memorable in last year's contest in Amman but it turned out not in the most ideal of ways.

They lost all three of their assignments in the Group Phase, though the team almost pulled off an upset against Lebanon, 56-60. The home team tried to end their campaign with a win but got overpowered by Indonesia in the seventh-place game of the classification round.

But now, they have another shot at redemption, with the tilt coming back on home soil. It could be a chance for the Jordanians, too, to notch their first U16 Women's Asian Championship win since 2013.

FIBA