FIBA U-18 Asian Championships: India overpower Kazakhstan to gain promotion

A resounding win over Kazakhstan promoted India to Division A of the FIBA U-18 Asian Championships in 2020 as the Division B of the 2018 edition for women drew to a close.

Result Final: India beat Kazakhstan 68-45 (16-9, 16-7, 22-12, 14-17)

Scorers: (India - Harshitha Kelttira Bopaiah 20 points, 13 rebounds, Ishwarya Janardhanan 9 assists, Dharshini Thirunavukkarasu 5 steals; Kazakhstan - Inna Kulikova 10 points, Maria Zaitseva 11 rebounds, 5 blocks)

The Story: India advance to Division A of the FIBA U-18 Asian Championships in 2020 after a clinical display against Kazakhstan.

First Half: India concluded the first period with a seven-point lead after Harshitha Bopaiah scored eight points through a triad of two-point jump shots. Pushpa Senthil Kumar’s eight-point score propelled the advantage to sixteen points at half-time.

Second Half: India steered on Harshitha Bopaiah’s eight-point score amassing a 26-point lead over Kazakhstan in the third period. India secured their victory after Srishti Suren returned seven points in the final quarter.

Stats: India achieved 90 percent success rate in their free throw conversions with nine of their ten attempts finding the basket. Harshitha efficiently converted all of her six free throw attempts. India earned 24 assists and 20 steals, along with 20 fast break points and managed 30 points from turnovers after turned over the ball 27 times.

Star Performer: India's Harshitha Kelttira Bopaiah earned a double-double 20 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 1 block. Player efficiency rating 28.

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Syria pip Hong Kong for 3rd place

Noura Bshara of Syria earned a double-double (Image Courtesy: FIBA)

Result 3rd/4th Place: Syria defeated Hong Kong 75-68 (16-15, 18-18, 20-16, 21-19)

Scorers: (Syria: Noura Bshara 29 points, 12 rebounds, Rawaa Alhaj Ali 5 assists; Hong Kong: Wing Nga Poon 22 points, 6 steals, Sin Ting Lue 5 rebounds)

The Story: Syria finished third after defeating Hong Kong in a close encounter by seven points.

First Half: Syria’s Noura Bshara and Nelly Naya Tarzi, along with Wing Yan Chan of Hong Kong scored five points each as Syria clinched a slight edge in the first period. Noura Bshara and Wing Nga Poon both scored twelve points each as Syria maintained their solitary point lead.

Second Half: Noura Bshara scored another eight points to increase Syria’s lead to five at the end of the third period. Anna Aghnanian Aslanian scored seven points for Syria while Wing Yan Chan scored seven for Hong Kong in the final quarter.

Stats: Syria registered 32 percent three-point field goal conversions with six of their 19 shots finding the basket. Hong Kong collected 20 steals and 26 fast break points. Noura Bshara efficiently converted ten of her 14 free throw tries to finish with a success rate of 71 percent.

Star Performer: Noura Bshara of Syria earned a double-double 29 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 1 block. Player efficiency rating 28.

Top Performers

Points per game - Fatemeh Aghazadegan Ghazvini (IRN) 23.4

Total Points - Fatemeh Aghazadegan Ghazvini (IRN) 117

Field goals shooting percentage - Mia San Nicolas (GUM) 57.4%

2 points shooting percentage - Mia San Nicolas (GUM)‎ 58.7%

3 points shooting percentage - Inna Kulikova (KAZ)‎‎ 51.7%

Free Throws shooting percentage - Esther Akinfiresoye Damilola Lim (SGP)‎ 72.7 %

Rebounds per game - Maria Zaitseva (KAZ)‎‎ 14.3

Block shots per game - Maria Zaitseva (KAZ)‎‎‎ 4.3

Assists per game - Ishwarya Janardhanan (IND)‎ 6.0

Steals per game - Dharshini Thirunavukkarasu (IND)‎‎ 6.8

Double-Doubles - Anna Aghnanian Aslanian (SYR)‎, Noura Bshara (SYR)‎ and Harshitha Kelttira Bopaiah (IND)‎‎ 4

Final Standings

1 India

2 Kazakhstan

3 Syria

4 Hong Kong

5 Iran

6 Singapore

7 Samoa

8 Guam