BENGALURU (FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2017) – The line-up for Division B of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2017 has been confirmed and there will be a special sense of excitement for Lebanon, Singapore and Uzbekistan who all return after missing previous editions.

Lebanon and Singapore were not present during 2013 or 2015 and so will be eager to make the most of their time in Bengaluru, while Uzbekistan ride back into the competition after skipping participation in 2015.

The involvement of the trio was the headline news as eight nations now get ready to take their place and fight it out for the precious prize of a place in the top tier for 2019.

India will have strong support on home soil and they are looking to bounce back from their relegation last time out when they were shot down by Philippines in an exciting and nail-biting promotion and relegation battle.

Sri Lanka are also back on board having been one of the first National Federations to express their interest and register for the event. They will be determined to at least put on a win on the board after not managing to register one in Wuhan two years ago.

Kazakhstan can never be discounted and could be strong after they won three of their five games in China, fuelled by more than 15 points per game from Tamara Yagodkina.

Meanwhile there will be much attention placed on two Oceania representatives in Fiji and American Samoa. They punched their respective tickets after competing in the Final of the 2015 Pacific Games, when Fiji took gold against their fellow islanders on a historic night in Port Moresby.

FIBA