Lebanon women's basketball take the win (Photo FIBA)
Lebanon finally secured the promotion they’ve long been yearning for after ruling the FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup 2026-Division B tilt following a 58-39 conquest of Kazakhstan in the Final, Sunday.
The young Cedars poured it all out on both ends during the middle quarters to head into the payoff period ahead by 16 points, and that signaled the start of a celebration inside Nimibutr Stadium as they completed their story.
The West Asian side came into the Thai capital wanting to atone for the heartbreak they suffered in 2024 in China, where their bid of gaining the ticket to Division A got foiled by the Philippines in the Final.
They waited years for a chance to settle that unfinished business, and the wait was so worth it as the Lebanese exorcised the ghost of the past, in the process clinching a spot in the FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup 2028.
“I’m elated,” said Coach Paul Coughter. “What’s really a lot of fun for us to consider is that these girls accomplished this with two years to go, because in two years in ’28 is gonna be hosted in Kazakhstan, ironically.”
“But the point that I’m making is, that would be the qualifier for the U19 World Cup. And we have a group of five girls who were born 2011, 2010, who could play in the U18 for the next two years,” he added.
A quartet of players finished in double figures in the win, with star guard Lara Al Nakib headlining the balanced attack with 16 points, together with 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks for a full line in 36 minutes.
Nour Hoteit came close to a rare triple-double performance with 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists. Karin Kamaz delivered 11 as well alongside 8 rebounds, while Elissa Abou Jaoude added 10 points and 7 rebounds
These same four were responsible in bringing themselves in control permanently.
Game was tied at 16-all after the first 10 minutes, but they buckled down to work on both ends of the floor to produce a 30-14 attack in the second and third quarters for a 46-30 lead entering the payoff period.
By then, the game was all but decided, and Lebanon would cruise to the 19-point victory to eventually complete a 5-game sweep of the tourney against the same team they’d actually beaten during the Group Phase.
“I feel excited. I’m really happy,” said Al Nakib, who was part of the team that lost in the previous Final, together with Abou Jaoude. “We’re in Division A. We fought for this position, and now we earned it.”
Yerlan Shakhida, on the other hand, had 12 points to lead the Kazakhs, who once again ended up at second similar to their finish back in 2018, where they lost to India in the Final of the Div. B contest in Bengaluru.
Third-quarter reversal propels Indonesia past India to finish third
Indonesia turned it around in the third quarter to beat India, 70-50, to salvage a third-place finish.
The South-East-Asian side actually stared at a 40-36 deficit late in the period until the trio of Praisey Blessed, Fiorenza Celesta, and Ayu Krisabella put together the spirited rally that all but decided the outcome.
A 16-0 run to end the period erased the opposition’s lead and made it a 52-40 lead for themselves, effectively seizing control of the game for good as they also shackled their South Asian counterparts on defense.
From trailing by four, Coach Fredy’s charges finished the game with a dominant 34-10 eruption en route to giving themselves some sort of consolation after their promotion bid ended at the hands of Lebanon yesterday.
“I really believe that someday, Indonesia is going to play in Division A in the long-term. But of course, it’s not going to be easy,” the seasoned bench tactician offered post-game. “It entails hard work and preparation.”
Team India did stop the bleeding by opening the fourth with a corner jumper from Mahek Sharma, but there was no stopping the Indonesians anymore – so much so that the lead even grew to 21 points not long after.
Blessed top-scored for Indonesia with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Inez Welly came through with 18 points behind a 4-of-8 clip from deep, one of which pushed their lead to its biggest of the game at 63-41 approaching the last six minutes, on top of 7 rebounds and 5 assists.
Joanne Giovanni made 11 points and 5 rebounds. Krisabella and Chloe Cung added 9 and 8 points, respectively, in the win that saw the squad finish with 22 assists, leading to a 40-percent clip from the field.
“We knew India has good players also. But I believe in my team, and we had to win this game today,” said Blessed as they got back at the same team that foiled their bid of sweeping Group A last Wednesday, 79-46.
Sharma, on the other hand, had 10 points and 16 rebounds, with Nethra Birudavolu her lone backup with 10 points as well for an India team that missed the services of top forward Viha Jonnalagadda due to an injury.
“You take away a dominant player like that, who just matches really well and competes really hard, it makes it tough,” lamented India head coach Sarah Gayler. “And Indonesia, hats off to them. It’s a tough loss.”
