Australia’s hopes of a primary FIBA girls’s Asia Cup basketball title have nose-dived after they had been thumped 91-66 by a hot-shooting Japan in Sydney.
Coming off two huge wins, the Opals scored the primary eight factors and had been up 15-6 on Wednesday, however Japan took management of the sport after a rare second quarter surge.
Japan scored the final 17 factors of that quarter and Australia missed their final 13 makes an attempt from the sphere.
The Opals had been outscored 22-2 within the final seven-and-a-half minutes, with Japan nailing six three-pointers over that point as they turned an eight-point deficit right into a 44-32 halftime lead.
Australia could not get the deficit beneath 9 within the second half, with Japan pulling away to steer by 19 at three-quarter time and by as a lot as 30 within the fourth.
Japan hit 17 three-pointers at 51 per cent and shot 54 per cent total from the sphere, whereas conserving Australia to simply 39 per cent.
The Opals had simply two double-digit scorers, Maddison Rocci with 12 and Alice Kunek 11, as Australia struggled to cope with Japan’s strain, slick transition sport and long-range taking pictures.
Japan, who’ve gained the final 5 Asia Cups, took prime spot within the group and booked a semi-final spot.
Australia must take the longer path to the final 4, needing to win a classification match in opposition to Korea on Friday to face Group B winner China, who completed with a 3-0 report after a 87-81 extra time win over Korea.
“Japan turned up the pressure in that second quarter, we were bit stunned when they started hitting all those threes and next game we need to be way better at regrouping a lot quicker,” Opals captain Tess Madgen mentioned.
Australia’s peak benefit did not translate into dominance on the boards as they had been out-rebounded 33-31 and likewise made 4 extra turnovers than Japan.
“As the game went on, they ground us down with their pressure and physicality,” Opals appearing head coach Shannon Seebohm mentioned.
“They controlled the boards and we probably just weren’t disciplined enough on defence to get enough stops and generate any easy points out of our transition game.”
The Opals burst out of the blocks, scoring the primary eight factors, with Darcee Garbin notching 5 inside the primary minute, whereas Japan missed their first 4 subject objective makes an attempt.
Mai Yamamoto triggered Japan’s comeback with 4 second-quarter triples, ending with 19 factors, one behind.Monica Okoye.
In one other match, Australian-born guard and Australian age-group consultant Tahlia Tupaea scored 20 for New Zealand of their 76-45 win over Lebanon.
The victor of Friday’s match between the Tall Ferns and the Philippines, who beat Taiwan 92-81 on Wednesday, will face Japan within the semi-finals.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
