Five Women’s Asia Cup standouts at the FIBA Women’s World Cup
At the most recent FIBA Basketball Ladies’s World Cup, the women from Asia and Oceania turned a lot of heads, but it didn’t come as much of a surprise to the die-hard supporters who have been following the team for a while.
Women’s Asia Cup supporters already had a hint of what they’re capable of owing to the 2021 edition of the competition that was held in Jordan. On the other hand, the majority of fans only saw their exploits in the global showpiece, which left them in amazement of what they were able to accomplish.
Now, let’s take a look at five players from the continental conference that participated in the previous year who did not shy away from the bright lights of the game’s largest stage.
KANG LEE SEUL of Korea
Women’s World Cup | 17.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 13.2 EFF
Women’s Asia Cup | 10.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 9.5 EFF
Kang Lee Seul took Sydney by storm after leading Korea to their first Women’s World Cup victory in a very long time.
The 28-year-old scored 37 points on seven three-pointers, eight rebounds, and five assists while setting the Women’s World Cup efficiency record with 44 EFF in their 99-66 thrashing of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Yes, she broke the record previously held by none other than Liz Cambage, who received a rating of 41 in the 2018 event in Spain.
Kang went on to finish the tournament as the competition’s second-best scorer with 17.2 points on 41.7 percent shooting, making it a memorable campaign for her after going winless in the previous two Women’s World Cups.
HAN XU of China
Women’s World Cup | 12.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 17.6 EFF
Women’s Asia Cup | 13.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 18.2 EFF
China made history by attaining their first Women’s World Cup podium place in nearly 30 years, and Xu Han played a key role in that.
The 2.05 M (6’9″) center chose the greatest time to use what she had learnt during her youth team days, assisting the Asian superpower to its second silver medal after earning one in 1994.
Her finest game of the tournament came in the Semi-Finals. She had 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting, 10 rebounds, and a record-tying 5 blocks as China defeated hosts Australia in a 61-59 thriller.
Xu was also among those who stood out statistically. On her route to the All-Star Five, she was among the Top 15 scorers (12th), the fifth-best rebounder, and shared leadership in the blocks department.
SAMI WHITCOMB of Australia
Women’s World Cup | 11.0 points, 2.3 assists, 3.6 assists, 9.5 EFF
Women’s Asia Cup | 17.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 23.7 EFF
Although Samantha Whitcomb was one of Australia’s most seasoned athletes, she led her team in scoring at the event, proving that age is just a number.
The 34-year-old guard was the Opals’ top scorer with 11.0 points, capped by three 15-point games, two of which she put together back-to-back to lead her team to victories over Canada and Japan, respectively.
She contributed 3.6 assists, 2.3 rebounds, and other stats as she assisted the hosts in defeating the Canadians to win the bronze medal.
She now had a third medal with Australia, in addition to the silver from the 2018 Women’s World Cup and the bronze from the 2021 Asia Cup.
LI YUERU of China
Women’s World Cup | 10.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 14.5 EFF
Women’s Asia Cup | 15.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 22.2 EFF
Li Yueru was yet another crucial member of China who shown that she can be a dependable member of the team after demonstrating effectiveness in the Women’s World Cup.
The 23-year-old center, who averaged 10.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, was one of the tournament’s most effective scorers with a 60.3 percent clip, earning her a position on the All-Second Team.
Standing at 2.0 M (6’7″), she saved her greatest performance for last, putting up a team-best 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Chinese team’s valiant fight against the eventual gold medal winners United States in the Final.
SONOR MIYAZAKI of Japan
Women’s World Cup: 7.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 8.2 EFF
Women’s Asia Cup: 11.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 9.6 assists, 19.2 EFF
Despite Japan’s forgettable campaign, Saori Miyazaki managed to offer a sense of security with her floor generalship.
Her numbers were down from what she had in the Women’s Asia Cup, but her playmaking never stopped, as she averaged a team-high 5.2 assists in the five games they played in the Group Phase.
She had six assists to help the defending Asia Cup champions open their World Cup gloriously against Mali, but what was thought to be a bright run turned out otherwise as they lost their next four games.
The 25-year-old concluded the tournament with 7.0 points and 2.2 rebounds, including a 13-point performance against France.
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