In the final round of the group stage of the women's basketball Olympic qualifiers, Canada and Japan faced out a battle of life and death. With only one win per game for the four teams in this group, each team has a chance to advance. As long as you can win in front of your opponent, you can accumulate two victories and thus secure an Olympic qualification. The loser will be judged by the losers of Spain and Hungary. With Spain's match against Hungary to be played later, both Canada and Japan are under a lot of pressure as a loss would be highly likely to result in an exit.
At the start of the match, Saori Miyazaki showed a swift breakthrough, while Alexander caught everyone's attention on the court with her tall stature. Yamamoto made an easy layup, while Azova hit the inside with a strong punch and scored back-to-back points. Canada failed to effectively limit Japan's offense, with Yamamoto being very active and Maki Takada cleverly taking advantage of the gap to score a layup. Canada had to reluctantly ask for a moratorium. Alexander struggled to complete the 2+1, and Perlington missed two free throws, but the Canadians grabbed the crucial rebound. Fields hit a three-pointer, and Saori Miyazaki launched a fast break at a blistering pace to tie the game at 12, while Hayashi Saki cleverly cut in to score, and Azova picked up a basket in the low post. Saori Miyazaki stood out in the game, while Amihull completed the 2+1 with a counter-attack. Azova showed a clear advantage under the basket and Evelyn managed to break through to score. Canada made a mistake in the final game and ended the first quarter tied at 20.
As the contest moved to the next stage, Kawai and Stephanie put on eye-catching performances, while Alexander was once again integrated into the game. Japan managed to bring in two foreign players, while Canada focused on the inside attack. Evelyn showed off her jump shot in the high post and Carlton hit a three-pointer from the bottom corner to break the deadlock for Canada. Offensively, Stephanie drew fouls and Carlton scored on a pull-up jumper. Although Canada made a few mistakes in the game, Evelyn's three-pointer stabilized the situation. Ako Sunflower had to call a timeout to make lineup changes, but after the game resumed, Canada made another mistake, and Evelyn's three-pointer continued to add points to Japan's score. Ako Sunflower struggled with a layup, and Fields seized the opportunity to make an offensive transition. Azova managed to defend and Sunflower Ako tried to fight back, but was limited by her teammate's singles. Saori Miyazaki scored again, and Yamamoto closed with a three-pointer. Colley had a 2+1 chance in a fierce scramble, and Carlton hit two shots from the free-throw line steadily. Yamamoto hit another three-pointer with the help of cover, and at the end of the first half, Japan led 50-46.
At the beginning of the third quarter, Canada had an excellent performance in the frontcourt rebounding, successfully securing six chances, but repeatedly failed to take advantage of empty baskets. Despite Canada's excellent performance, Azova eventually managed to get the ball into the basket before Fields quickly levelled the score. Carlton showed easy scoring skills, while Yamamoto also managed to bypass the opposition defence and contribute to the team's goals. Maki Takada and Carlton threatened each other in the game, while Evelyn excelled in the rebounding scramble. Yamamoto hit another accurate three-pointer, while Amihull hit two straight shots from the free-throw line. In the face of Japan's comeback, Carlton opted to pause the game with a three-pointer, while Fields managed to score after a rebound in the front court. Towards the end of the quarter, Canada was repeatedly fouled by the referee, leaving Yamamoto with three free throws, but Fields chased the score again. Alexander lost a scoring opportunity due to his walk, and at the end of the third quarter, Japan led Canada 70-67.
In the closing moments, Miyazaki showed a consistent scoring ability, Fields almost scored with a free throw, and Evelyn cleverly took advantage of the open space to shoot a three-pointer. Colley was sent off for reaching five fouls and the Canadians showed some signs of overconfidence. At the critical moment, Carlton made an emergency stop and made a jumper and created a 2+1 scoring opportunity, while Hill also showed strength when fighting for a layup. Evelyn's pinpoint assist supported Stephanie's score, highlighting the excellence of Japan's duo. The entire final quarter almost revolved around these two players, with Alexander scoring under the basket and creating 2+1 chances, while Fields showed strong singles ability to tie the score at 79. Azova's misplaced pass led to the ball being returned to the opposition, and Yamamoto was twice forced to stop the attack by the opposition defenders. Saori Miyazaki stepped up to help the team successfully overtake the score, and then coach Maki Takada urgently called a timeout.
Dynamic Incentive Program Hill misses a free throw, Amihull makes a walking error, Azova misses possession again, and Yamamoto's crucial score ultimately seals the win. Alexander chased it to 2+1 again, but missed the free throw, and the game ended at this moment, and Japan narrowly defeated Canada 86-82 to successfully qualify for the Olympic Games. Naturalized players Evelyn and Yamamoto both contributed 21 points, while Saori Miyazaki also scored 16 points, putting the prospects of world fifth-ranked Canada in jeopardy.