Madison Ryan's basket with 0.9 seconds left gives Australia a third straight FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup, 83-82 over Japan

Australia have won the FIBA U18 Women's Asia Cup Division A for a third straight time. In the final in Seremban, Malaysia, on Saturday, Madison Ryan banked in the winning basket with 0.9 seconds left to beat Japan 83-82 at the Karisma Arena.

Australia are only the third team to win the under-18 women's continental title three times in a row, after Korea and China. Japan finished second, their first silver medal since 2018.

The top five teams, Australia, Japan, China, Korea and Chinese Taipei, qualify for the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2027 in Chengdu, China, from July 17 to 25, 2027.

The last four seconds

Japan had been 15 points behind in the third quarter. With 3.7 seconds left in the game, Miya Takeuchi hit a three-pointer to give Japan an 82-81 lead.

Australia took the ball out on the sideline. Olivia Olechnowicz threw the inbound pass to Ryan, who went up between Riko Katsube and Kohse Hosozawa and banked the ball in off the glass with 0.9 seconds left. Australia then kept Takeuchi from getting a clean look at a three as time ran out.

Ryan, a 17-year-old forward, finished with 17 points and 17 rebounds.

How the game turned

Japan led 23-19 after the first quarter. Australia won the second quarter 22-14 and led 41-37 at half-time.

In the third quarter, a three from Olechnowicz and a three from Smith were part of an 8-0 Australian run that made it 49-37. The lead reached 15, at 58-43, after a three-point play by Smith. Australia led 62-56 after three quarters.

Japan won the fourth quarter 26-21. Takeuchi scored 18 of her 25 points in it.

The game had three lead changes and was tied twice. Australia led for 25 minutes and 28 seconds, Japan for 12 minutes and 55 seconds. Japan made all 13 of their free throws and 13 of 35 threes. Australia made 26 of 44 two-point shots and had 45 rebounds to Japan's 33. Jemyma Manyok blocked five of Australia's seven shots. The crowd was 1,123.

Awards and the third-place game

Takeuchi was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. She averaged 14.8 points, 4.0 assists and 2.8 steals in 23.5 minutes. The All-Star Five was Takeuchi, Ryan, Smith, China's Sun Hanyun and Korea's Lim Yeonseo.

On Saturday, China beat Korea 106-69 for third place. Li Yuanshan scored 35 points with 10 assists, and Sun Hanyun scored 32. China led for 39 minutes and 31 seconds of the game. It is China's second bronze medal at the event, after 1990.

Chinese Taipei finished fifth after beating the Philippines 86-55 on Friday. The Philippines, in their first Division A tournament, finished sixth, with New Zealand seventh and hosts Malaysia eighth.

Scoring

Final, Saturday, October 10: Australia 83, Japan 82

Australia: Madison Ryan 17, Isabel Smith 16, Olivia Olechnowicz 15, Jemyma Manyok 13, Cheyenne Bobongie 7, Lily Mapp 6, Sophie Richardson 5, Taryn Bond 4, Matilda Trout 0.

Japan: Miya Takeuchi 25, Riko Katsube 21, Marin Koike 12, Kako Otsuki 7, Rio Matsumoto 6, Moe Sakata 5, Yuuka Mizubayashi 4, Mio Yamamoto 2, Kohse Hosozawa 0.

By quarter: Australia 19, 22, 21, 21. Japan 23, 14, 19, 26.

Third-place game, Saturday, October 10: China 106, Korea 69

China: Li Yuanshan 35, Sun Hanyun 32, Zhao Zirui 14, Pang Yunshu 12, Hu Ruiyan 6, Chen Yuxin 2, Sun Ruiyang 2, Yao Zixuan 2, He Siyao 1, Sun Xuan 0, Rao Yingying 0.

Korea: Lim Yeonseo 16, Lee Sohee 15, Cho Heewon 14, Kim Damhee 11, Han Yedam 5, Kang Juha 3, Jang Seoyun 2, Cho Sooah 2, Jung Hyeyun 1, Lee Suhyun 0, Park Sion 0, Song Eunji 0.

By quarter: China 30, 21, 29, 26. Korea 23, 20, 16, 10.

What is next

The five qualified teams go to the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2027 in Chengdu, from July 17 to 25, 2027.