Basketball
India finish eighth at FIBA U18 Asia Cup after losing to Japan 50-100
Despite winning just two games, India had their best finish of this century, matching their eighth-place finish of 2016.
India suffered a crushing defeat to Japan in the 7-8th place match at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup, on Monday. (Photo Credit: FIBA)
India finished in eighth place at the 2024 FIBA U18 Asia Cup after they lost to Japan 50-100 in the 7-8th place match, at the Prince Hamza Hall, on Monday.
India managed to win just two matches at the U18 Asia Cup, but their eighth-place finish is still the best place finish for India in this century, matching their 2016 finish in this competition.
The game saw Riku Segawa leading the charge, contributing 21 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals, with an impressive efficiency rating of 30.
Segawa's impact was particularly notable in the second quarter, where he scored 10 of his total points, matching the combined output of their rivals for a decisive 43-22 halftime lead.
Supporting Segawa, Shoko Tagata delivered a standout performance with 19 points, saving his most impactful play for the final stages of the match.
Riku Sugeno also played a crucial role, adding 13 points and 6 assists.
In the final 20 minutes, the Japanese team exploded offensively, scoring 57 points and demonstrating a relentless approach until the final buzzer.
Overall, five players from Japan reached double figures, reflecting a balanced offensive attack.
Despite their efforts, India, led by Mirtun Dhanasekar with 15 points and Lavish with 10, could not overcome the deficit and finished the tournament in eighth place.
India managed to reach the quarter-finals thanks to wins against Kuwait and Lebanon but lost the quarters to China and then lost the 5-8th place match against Iran.
