Japan became the first FIBA Asia team – and the only team so far – to qualify for two successive FIBA World U17 Championships for Women, when they beat Chinese Taipei in the semifinals of the 2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Women on Saturday. “Qualifying for the World Championship is exciting enough. Winning the gold is a double bonanza,” says Yutaka Mizutani, Director of International Affairs at the Japan Basketball Association.

Korean Basketball Association Park So Hum flew into Jinan only to watch his team play the semifinal against China. “I came in to boost the morale of my team. But I got a fantastic reward from them,” Park said in reference to Korea’s win over the mighty China in the semifinals, and qualifying to represent FIBA Asia in the 2012 FIBA World U17 Championship for Women in the Netherlands.

China coach Wang Guizhi is a lady of very few words. But each of those is well-measured and well-weighed before being spoken. The 41-year-old spent a sleepless night after the defeat to Korea – sending tremors of shock in the basketball circles – more worried about on measures to motivate the team to play the bronze medal game. “They way played today makes me feel optimistic for the future of these girls,” Wang said in a chat with this website after the bronze medal game.

Here’s a collection of quotes from players of various teams after the semifinal day of the competition.

Here’s a collection of quotes from players of various teams who competed in Level I on the eve of the day of the semifinals.