From left: Team China's Yang Liwei, Jin Weina and Li Meng pose with their gold medals as they celebrate victory over Japan in the final of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in Sydney, Australia on July 2. AFP

Han Xu, Li Meng star in final to dethrone Japan

After a 12-year wait, the Chinese women's basketball team stood on the highest podium at the FIBA Women's Basketball Asia Cup once again, beating defending champion Japan 73-71 in a thrilling final in Sydney on Sunday.

In a roller-coaster decider, the teams were tied 17-all at the end of the first quarter. Team China only managed nine points in the second period to give fans a major scare.

However, the Chinese aces bounced back after halftime, displaying remarkable resilience as Han Xu and Li Meng made crucial shots in a nail-biting finale to secure the win.