Ryan stars as Sapphires storm into gold medal game

• ‍Meet the Australian Sapphires aiming to bring a fourth straight gold medal home from Malaysia‍
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Australian junior basketball star Madison Ryan scored 22 points in 26 minutes to lead the Sapphires into the 2025 FIBA Under-16 Girls Asia Cup final, demolishing China 87-59 in the semi-final in Malaysia on Saturday, September 27, 2025.

Ryan was outstanding. She was 8-from-13 from the field (3-from-6 from three), had four rebounds, three assists, three steals, a block and +19 in her minutes.

The Sapphires are just one win away from their fourth Asia Cup championship.

Key Details

• Result: Australia 87 def. China 59
• When: Saturday, 27th of September 2025
• Where: Seremban Arena, Malaysia

By the Numbers

• Madison Ryan (Australia) starred with 22 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block in 26 minutes.
• Xuan Sun (China) scored nine points, and had four rebounds, two assists and one steal in 22 minutes.

What Happened

The Sapphires established control early, taking a 20-18 lead after a tight first quarter before dominating the second period 29-12 to build a commanding 49-30 halftime advantage. China attempted to rally in the third quarter, matching Australia's intensity but still trailing 64-48 heading into the final period. The Sapphires closed out strong with a 23-11 fourth quarter to secure the 28-point victory.

Australia's offense was led by Madison Ryan, who delivered an exceptional performance with 22 points on efficient 8-from-13 shooting, including 3-from-6 from beyond the arc. Isabel Smith and Marianela Fakalata each contributed 13 points, with Smith adding six rebounds and four assists to her impressive stat line.

A critical sequence came midway through the second quarter when the Sapphires went on a 12-0 run, highlighted by consecutive three-pointers from Ryan that extended their lead to 19 points. China never recovered from this decisive stretch, despite Yuanshan Li's efforts to keep them competitive with 12 points.

Australia's dominance on the glass proved decisive, out-rebounding China 47-30, including 15 offensive rebounds that led to valuable second-chance opportunities. This advantage helped offset their 12 turnovers and allowed them to attempt more shots (63 compared to China's 59).

The Sapphires shot 42.9% from the field, including an impressive 51.4% on two-point attempts, while limiting China to 35.6% overall shooting. Defensively, Australia recorded seven steals and three blocks, forcing 15 turnovers from their opponents. The victory maintains Australia's unbeaten run in the tournament and advances them to the final as they continue their quest for a fourth consecutive FIBA U16 Women's Asia Cup title.