Carter ejected late in first quarter as Sichuan finish Asian league runners-up after 81–63 loss

The 2026 Women's Basketball League Asia final took place in Bengaluru, India, on the evening of October 25. Sichuan Yuanda Meile lost 81–63 to Japan's Denso and finished runners-up. Denso won all four of its games to become the first Japanese team to claim the title, ending the run of Chinese club champions in the competition's first two editions.

Carter scores 11 in the first quarter before ejection changes the contest

Sichuan trailed 24–20 after the first quarter, with Carter already on 11 points. FIBA's post-game report noted that she had previously been penalized for a foul, then protested after believing she had been fouled without a whistle on an offensive play late in the quarter. She received a technical foul and was ultimately ejected, leaving Sichuan without one of its main scorers for most of the game.

Denso had already planned to attack the basket more often to find a way through Sichuan's height advantage. Maki Takada scored 23 points; Haruna Kasagi contributed 15 points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals; Mai Kawai had 13 points, four rebounds and six assists; and Sylla added ten points and five rebounds. Four Denso players scored in double figures.

A 15–4 third-quarter run creates a gap Sichuan cannot close

Sichuan trailed 43–36 at halftime, with a seven-point gap still offering room for a comeback. In the third quarter, however, Denso extended the lead with a 15–4 run capped by a Manami Okada three-pointer. The score reached 66–48 after three quarters, an 18-point advantage. Both teams scored 15 in the final period, leaving the gap unchanged at the finish.

Blicavs recorded 18 points and ten rebounds for Sichuan, while Gao Song contributed 12 points and seven rebounds. Carter's early departure reduced Sichuan's offensive options, but Denso's decisive separation also depended on consecutive scores in the third quarter and contributions from several players. Sichuan scored 28 points across the second and third quarters to Denso's 42, defining the scale of the subsequent recovery required.

Sichuan won the inaugural event in 2024, with Dongguan taking the 2025 title. Sichuan could not return to the top this year but ended its campaign as runners-up. In the third-place game, Cathay Life beat Cheongju KB Stars 73–68.

Final score by quarter