China Wins Women's Asia Basketball Championship

China claimed the Women's Asia Basketball Championship title for the first time since 2011 by defeating the defending champion Japan 73-71 in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday. China, which lost in the World Cup final last year, was one of the top contenders for the title alongside Japan, which has won the last five championships in this biennial continental tournament. Chinese player Han Xu topped the scoring charts with 26 points, while her teammate Li Ming added 17 points, including two free throws five seconds before the end to give her country a 73-68 lead. Japan made a three-pointer at the last second but did not have enough time to attempt to equalize. This victory will give China a boost ahead of hosting the Asian Games in September, and their focus will shift towards winning a medal at the Paris Olympics next year.