FIBA Women’s Basketball League Asia: Collective effort powers Denso Iris to continental title

Denso Iris triumphed in the FIBA Women's Basketball League Asia 2026 (WBLA) at Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The best part about Denso Iris (Japan) is that it does not rely solely on foreign imports, unlike most teams in the FIBA Women’s Basketball League Asia at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium here. Instead, it thrives on collective effort, with every player contributing and the foreigners complementing the team’s overall game.

On Sunday, in the final against favourite Sichuan Yuanda Meile (China), Iris underlined the strength of that approach.

Iris’s commanding victory over the Chinese side was a powerful vindication of its philosophy. It also became the first side from Japan to win the title.

Sichuan, heavily dependent on American Chennedy Carter and Australian Sara Blicavs, struggled to find its attacking rhythm. Carter was disqualified early in the second quarter after picking up two technical fouls, while Blicavs was not at her best. With Iris’s defence denying it the space to operate freely, Sichuan found it increasingly difficult to raise the tempo.

Iris’ disciplined approach and sustained intensity were reflected in the way it built its advantage quarter after quarter, moving from 24-20 after the first quarter to 43-36 at half-time before sealing an 81-63 victory.

Maki Takada, a three-time Olympian at 37 years was a striking example of experience triumphing over age. Neither exceptionally quick nor overly aggressive, the veteran centre relied on composure, sound positioning to finish as the game’s top scorer with 23 points, including seven two-pointers and a three-pointer.