China vs. Japan final score: Li Meng scores 18 points in 73-71 win in FIBA Women’s Asia Cup Final

The China women’s national basketball team has won the Gold Medal in the 2023 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup after a 73-71 win over Japan earlier today in Sydney.

Of all the games China played in the tournament, this was their toughest match against one of their rivals. There were 14 lead changes and neither team led by double digits in this match. That said, the Japanese had the upper hand in this game, leading in 23 minutes of this match while the Chinese only led for 11 total minutes.

New York Liberty center Han Xu scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, wrapping up her tournament with yet another double double. But I was happy to see that Washington Mystics guard Li Meng also finished the Women’s Asia Cup with a strong performance of her own. She scored 18 points and dished 6 assists in the match, also making 2-of-5 from the three point line.

Maki Takada led the Japanese with 17 points.

Now that China has finished their work on the international stage, Li will return to Washington in the coming days. Hopefully her experience with the national team will translate into some more impact performance with the Mystics. We need them!