SHENZHEN (China) - Two tickets to the prestigious FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup will be fought for on Friday at the Longhua Cultural and Sports Center.
Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and Chinese Taipei will look to join Australia and China in the continent's envoy to the global showpiece, set in Czech Republic, as they duke it out in the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup Qualification to Semi-Finals.
The Gems and the Chinese were the first to book their tickets by sweeping their way into the penultimate phase of the ongoing continental tilt. The both of them finished atop Groups A and B, respectively, with immaculate 3-0 win-loss records.
By Friday, they will be monitoring games to determine their foes in the Semis set the next day, and know as well which teams will go with them to the U19 Worlds.
Korea versus New Zealand
The knockouts will commence at 16:30 local time, with Korea looking to return to the Semis after bowing out of the Qualification to Semis of the previous edition in 2022. There, they got beaten by eventual runners-up China, 70-53.
The no. 2 seed of Group A (2-1) are coming into the Qualification to Semis fresh from a 75-35 victory against Malaysia, and that should bode well for the crew in going up against New Zealand, who ended up as the third seed of Group B.
A team that's yet to reach the Semis, the Junior Tall Ferns have only won once in their three games thus far. But that shouldn't be a reason for the Koreans to be lax.
After dropping their first two games against Japan and China, New Zealand vented their ire on Indonesia, 70-50, to catch the bus to the qualifiers.
The winner will take on China in the Semis.
Japan versus Chinese Taipei
Set to battle in the other bracket, meanwhile, will be the Japanese and Chinese Taipei at 16:30 in a meeting between traditional tournament contenders.
Both Japan and Chinese Taipei were part of the four-team cast that represented Asia in the previous U19 Women's World Cup, together with Australia and China. But now, only one of these two proud programs will make it to the Big Dance.
Japan were on pace to clinch the top seed in Group B after dominant wins against New Zealand and Indonesia, only to get foiled by China as they were on the receiving end of a monster showing by Zhang Ziyi with 44 points and 14 rebounds.
No doubt that they will try to bounce back big-time against Chinese Taipei. The latter was the no. 3 seed of Group A at 1-2 but they've been playing far better than what their record says, as evidenced by the fight they showed against Australia.
Winner will face Australia in the Semis.
Who stays?
Before the Qualification to Semis begins, Friday's action will open with a Classification 7-8 game between Southeast Asian rivals Indonesia and Malaysia.
Both went winless in the Group Phase and now, they are set to face one another in a tiff so crucial, set at 14:00 local time. The winner will retain Division A status, while the losing side will be relegated to Division B for the tournament's next edition.
FIBA