What is at stake at the FIBA Women's Asia Cup 2019?

BENGALURU (India) – There will be quite a lot on the line for the teams playing at the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2019 in both Divisions A and B this September. What exactly is at stake and what will these teams be playing their hearts out for?

Being among the best

Division A of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup is the highest level of competition in the region. Team’s like the India know how tough it is to get to Division A, while teams like the Philippines know how much work needs to be done to stay there.

The make it to Division A of the Women’s Asia Cup, teams must win Division B. India earned their promotion with a Division B title win over Kazakhstan, 75-73, back in 2017.

The promoted team will be replacing the the 8th placed team after the results of the Division A competition, who will be relegated to play in Division B for the next round. The Philippines who were promoted to Division A in 2017, avoided relegation with a 78-63 win over DPR Korea to secure 7th place.

Step towards the Olympics

There will be a little bit more on the line for the teams playing at the Women’s Asia Cup this year other than avoiding relegation and seeking promotion.

Following the results of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, the 8 teams in Division A will get a spot to play at the FIBA Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament which is the one step towards qualifying to play in the Olympics.

(Japan at the 2016 Olympics)

The top 4 teams from the FIBA Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament will then proceed to play at the FIBA Olympics Qualifying Tournament later on afterwards.

With all but one team going to the Olympics Pre-Qualifying Tournament, none of these Division A teams will want to be the odd one out. In addition, winning the Division B title will mean a lot more this year as well.

Seat at the throne

The benefits of winning the Women’s Asia Cup is also pretty simple: she who wins the Asia Cup is the best of the business in Asia.

Korea still stand as the Queens of Asian basketball with 12 Asia Cup titles, but their last win was over 10 years ago in 2007.

China is next in line to challenge Korea’s throne as all-time Asia Cup title winners and a championship this year will have both nations tied at 12 apiece.

Japan might have only 4 titles to their name, but the fact that they are back-to-back-to-back defending champions means that they are still the team to beat this year.

Even though Australia lost in the championship game at their Asia Cup debut in 2017, they are the only nation in this competition to have ever secured the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup which was in 2006.

FIBA