by sportswriters Li Bowen, Su Bin and Cao Yibo

SHENZHEN, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The traditional powerhouses asserted their dominance as the group stage of the 2025 FIBA Women's Asia Cup concluded on Wednesday, with China, Australia, Japan and South Korea all securing top-two finishes in their respective groups.

China will await its semifinal opponent, while Japan prepares for a qualification showdown against New Zealand on Friday. Australia, still seeking its first Women's Asia Cup title, will face the winner of the South Korea-Philippines qualifier.

Defending champion China and world No. 2 Australia both advanced undefeated to the semifinals, but it was China's tactical experimentation - led by the sensational debut of teenage center Zhang Ziyu - that captured headlines.

Under returning head coach Gong Luming, China breezed through its group. The tournament marks Gong's first major competition since resuming leadership in February. He used the preliminary games to test several lineups, including a towering frontcourt pairing of the 2.26-meter (7-foot-5) Zhang with 2.11-meter (6-foot-11) Han Xu, as well as a center-less configuration.

"This team has only been together for a little over three months, and it takes time to build chemistry," Gong said. "We have a prototype, but we are still lacking in many details."

Zhang, 18, has been the breakout star of the tournament.

"Need we say more?" a FIBA website article noted. "China's next great hope will finally grace FIBA's flagship event for women's national teams in Asia, as Zhang Ziyu is set to make easily one of the most anticipated senior debuts in recent years."

Zhang has lived up to the hype, averaging 14.3 points on 81% shooting through three games. She and Han have formed a dominant pairing that Han believes is far from fully realized.

"Given our short time playing together, the 'twin towers' are probably only at 30 percent of our potential," Han said.

China's depth has also impressed. National team rookie Zhai Ruoyun, 27, knocked down four 3-pointers in her debut, while Jia Saiqi has anchored the defense with a team-high 2.3 steals per game. Offensively, China is averaging 95.3 points per game-second only to Australia.

For China's rivals, Han's confident words serve as a stark warning: "As long as we play our game, I believe no one can beat us."

Australia, a medalist in every Asia Cup since joining the FIBA Asia zone in 2017, has looked equally strong despite a transitional roster. With only Chloe Bibby returning from 2023, the Opals have shown impressive cohesion, beating the Philippines and Lebanon by margins of 76 and 79 points, respectively.

Australia capped group play with a strong second-half comeback to defeat Japan, showcasing a remarkably balanced offense. Eleven of the team's 12 players are averaging at least seven points per game, contributing to a tournament-high 102.3 points per game.

Japan's journey through the group stage was more turbulent. Head coach Corey Gaines opted to rest key players, resulting in narrow wins over Lebanon and the Philippines by a combined margin of just seven points.

Veteran Maki Takada, 35, remains central to Japan's offense, but their trademark 3-point shooting has been inconsistent. Japan leads the tournament in attempts (38.7 per game) but is shooting just 34.5%.

Ramu Tokashiki, 34, in her fifth Asia Cup appearance, has yet to find top form, averaging 5.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.0 three-pointer per game.

South Korea has leaned on perimeter scoring but suffered a major blow when top shooter Kang Lee-seul was injured in the opening game. Park Ji-hyun (16.0 ppg) and Choi I-saem (15.3 ppg) have stepped up to lead the offense.

Star center Park Ji-su is contributing across the board-averaging 7.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game-while providing a strong defensive presence and rebounding anchor for Korea's gritty style of play.

The top six teams will qualify for the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup qualifiers. With a win over Lebanon to finish third in its group, the Philippines not only kept its semifinal hopes alive but also made history-securing its first-ever spot in the global qualifiers.

"This win represents everything we've been working hard on for the last 10 years or so," said Philippines head coach Patrick Henry Aquino. ■