US remain atop FIBA women's world ranking, Belgium and Nigeria climb

BEIJING - The United States maintained its top status as FIBA updated its women's world ranking following the conclusion of Olympic qualifying tournaments, while Olympics-bound Belgium and Nigeria rose up on the ranking.

Belgium became the biggest climber among the top 10 sides by going up two places to seventh, while Serbia and China instead fell one spot to the eighth and ninth position respectively.

FIBA explained that as the ranking considers the results over an eight-year span, the changes are in part to do with the gradually shifting weighting for previous years.

Nigeria also leaped three positions to 14th, while the 19th-ranked South Korea (333.3) managed to close the gap from Britain (333.5) ahead of them by edging the latter out of the Olympic spot contention.

FIBA said that most of the participants in the FIBA women's Olympic basketball tournament have witnessed an increase in their overall points, even if it was not reflected on positions gained.

The latest world ranking is the final one ahead of the Tokyo 2020 women's Olympic basketball tournament draw held on March 21, thus being used to determine the seeding.

FIBA also said that women's world ranking will next be updated after the Tokyo Olympics.