Who are the teams playing in FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup 2024?

SHENZHEN (China) - As the platform for the best women's basketball youth talents in Asia, the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup promises to be an exciting competition.

Here's a quick look at the teams that will be participating in Division A which will be hosted in Shenzhen, China from June 24-30.

Defending Champions: Australia

Australia won the U18 Women's Asia Cup for the first time in 2022 and are expected to be favorites to defend their throne in 2024.

There will be consistency in the lineup as they are featuring three players that won the U16 Women's Asia Cup 2023 (Jade Crook, Zara Russell, and Lara Somfai) as well as nine players from the U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2023 squad.

Among those players is Saffron Shiels, who will have the rare opportunity to win a second U18 Women's Asia Cup title after being the youngest player on the 2022 championship squad.

The Gems haven't finished outside of the podium since their debut in 2018.

The Top Contenders: China, Japan

China are also the perennial heavy favorites to win the competition, especially with them playing at home in Shenzhen (where the senior national team will also play for the Women's Asia Cup in 2025). The finalist from 2022 leads all countries with 16 titles, including all but two in the last 28 years. There's a good reason that China are ranked second in the FIBA World Ranking presented by NIKE, Women and that's because the stars from the past that have won U18 titles have been shining and developing accordingly to the potential that they flashed early on.

And it's not like Japan are too far behind either. Or behind at all, even. The young AKATSUKI JAPAN women's team might have won the U18 title only once (in 2008) but they have finished on the podium every time in the past 20 years, including seven consecutive trips to the Final. In the latest update (December 1, 2023) of the FIBA World Ranking Girls, Japan jumped into the Top 10 at 9th and can potentially climb even higher if they have a successful outing in Shenzhen.

On the Bubble: Korea, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand

No other team outside of the contending teams listed above have won the U18 title since 1992 when Korea won in Nagoya. That doesn't mean those other teams don't have a chance.

Chinese Taipei and Korea have proven in recent years that they can take down the powerhouses in any given game. Chinese Taipei beat China in a historic 74-61 win in 2022, while Korea beat Australia 63-62 in 2018. New Zealand themselves have played close games against the top teams and can post a threat to upset.

Korea are the more traditional team out of this trio, having won seven titles in the past - making them the only team other than China to have won the competition more than once. They are, however, two editions removed from standing on the podium, which should be their key focus heading into Shenzhen.

New Zealand and Chinese Taipai are also building up some momentum within their youth national team programs as well.

Chinese Taipei made it to the Semi-Finals in both the U18 Women's Asia Cup in 2022 and U16 Women's Asia Cup 2023. Could they break through and finish get a top 3 finish?

The young Tall Ferns, in the meanwhile, are looking for their first podium finish at the U18 level after already securing third-place in the U16 Women's Asia Cup last year.

On the outside, looking in: Indonesia, Malaysia

The harsh reality is that Indonesia and Malaysia will find it a tough task to keep up with the other Division A teams.

Indonesia were promoted to Division A in 2018 and have maintained their status at this level with wins in the seventh-place games against Malaysia and India, respectively.

However, those have been their only wins so far at this level.

Having lost to Indonesia in 2018, Malaysia played in Division B in 2022, and went on an inspiring run to beat Mongolia in the Final to get their way back to Division A this year.

But still, it will be tough.

Nonetheless, it will be a great opportunity for the teams and their players to gain valuable experience from playing against all of these teams, continuing to build towards the future for their respective national teams.

FIBA