China have dramatically ended Japan’s run of five straight women’s Asia Cup basketball titles, with Australia taking bronze to cap a stirring comeback for captain Tess Madgen.
China shaded Japan 73-71 in Sunday’s gold medal game at Sydney’s Quaycentre, after the Opals beat New Zealand 81-59 In the battle for bronze.
Japan scored the last 16 points of the first half to lead 35-26, holding China scoreless for seven-and-a-half minutes.
China, who last won the title in 2011, fought back to within three at three-quarter time and their 205cm WNBA centre Han Xu featured down the stretch.
The tournament MVP and leading scorer, rebounder and blocker, snapped a 66-66 tie with a layup with 65 seconds to go and grabbed clutch rebounds at either end.
In the bronze medal match, Madgen set the tone for Australia in scoring their first five points, after the Tall Ferns made the first bucket for their only lead of the game
Madgen was player of the match after 14 points and five assists.
Prior to the tournament, Madgen had hardly played since undergoing knee surgery last October in the aftermath of the World Cup, managing just one WNBL game before sitting out the rest of the campaign.
She said the Asia Cup hadn’t really been on her radar but praised the rehab team at the Victorian Institute of Sport for facilitating her return.
“It’s been a really hard 12 months. I wanted to retire at one point just because of the amount of pain I was in,” Madgen said.
“I couldn’t really see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I feel great.”
With only three of their 2022 World Cup squad available, Australia finished with a 4-2 record, their only losses coming to finalists Japan and China.
“Very proud of our group for what we’ve been able to accomplish,” acting Opals head coach Shannon Seebohm said.
“Backing up after a tough game last night, struggled to find the energy early on, but we managed to grind out a really good win, so thrilled to get the bronze medal.” added Seebohm, who was deputising for Sandy Brondello, who was coaching WNBA club New York Liberty.
Australia grabbed control of the game with a 9-0 run which set up a 22-14 quarter-time lead.
New Zealand fought hard but couldn’t reduce the deficit to below six, though Penina Davidson logged 19 points and 11 boards.
The Opals had five double-digit scorers headed by 19 from forward Alice Kunek, who reached double figures for the fifth time in six matches.
Forward Darcee Garbin, watched by her sister Sophie – who’ll represent Australia at the coming world netball championships – contributed 13 points in as many minutes.
Han was joined in the tournament’s All-Star five by teammate Li Meng, who scored 17 In the final, Japan’s Mai Yamamoto, Australia’s Kunek and New Zealand’s Davidson.
By Adrian Warren in Sydney
