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Japan Forward
5 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Forward
Japan Exits FIBA Asia Cup with Disappointment
Lebanon overpowered Japan in a qualifier for the FIBA Asia Cup quarterfinals in Saudi Arabia, winning 97-73. Japan went 2-2 in the 16-nation tournament. Japan point guard Yuki Togashi runs the offense against Iran in a 2025 FIBA Asia Cup group phase match on August 8 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (©FIBA/via KYODO) The 2025 FIBA Asia Cup exposed strengths and weaknesses of Japan's 12-man squad in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In addition, the continental basketball tournament also demonstrated that the absence of established stars Yuta Watanabe, Rui Hachimura, Yuki Kawamura and Makoto Hiejima was a significant obstacle for Akatsuki Japan to overcome. Japan head coach Tom Hovasse's squad missed out on the overall impact that the quartet could've provided in Jeddah. World No 21 Japan went 2-2 in the 16-nation FIBA Asia Cup. A 97-73 shellacking at the hands of 29th-ranked Lebanon on Tuesday, August 12 ended the team's tournament. The blowout loss occurred in a quarterfinals qualifier. After his team's tournament-ending defeat, Hovasse underscored the collective frustration that the players and coaching staff felt. "I am truly disappointed," Hovasse told reporters. "We were overwhelmed by Lebanon's pressure defense and committed many turnovers, unable to play in our usual offensive rhythm." Japan had 15 turnovers against Lebanon. The losing team also had a bad shooting night, making 25 of 60 shots from the floor, including 7 of 27 from 3-point range. Lebanon led 53-41 at halftime and scored 58 points in the second and third quarters. The West Asian squad also held Japan to nine points in the fourth quarter. Japan coach Tom Hovasse calls a play against Iran on August 8. (©FIBA) Looking ahead, Hovasse is confident that his team will reap benefits from its FIBA Asia Cup experience. "It was positive that our young players were able to experience such a stage," Hovasse. "I believe this will definitely help us in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers starting in November." Dynamic scorer Keisei Tominaga averaged 16.8 points in Saudi Arabia and impressed as a top option on offense for Japan. The 24-year-old former University of Nebraska standout, who'll suit up for the Levanga Hokkaido in the 2025-26 season, continues to hone his skills at both ends of the floor. Japan guard Keisei Tominaga shoots a jumper against Guam on August 10. (©FIBA/via KYODO) Tominaga's scoring totals in succession in the four games: 18 points, 22, 20 and seven. Forward Akira Jacobs, who has transferred to Fordham University (New York) after two seasons playing for the University of Hawaii, was Japan's youngest player in Jeddah. Competition against Syria (a 99-68 Japan win on August 6), Iran (a 78-70 Japan loss on August 8), Guam (a 102-63 Japan win on August 10) and Lebanon was a valuable experience for the 21-year-old. Akira Jacobs (©FIBA) Jacobs, an athletic 203-cm player, had 10 points in back-to-back games to wrap up Japan's FIBA Asia Cup. Point guard John Harper Jr (Sunrockers Shibuya) and small forward Ren Kanechika (Chiba Jets), both of whom are 22, also brought youthful energy to the tourney. Displaying his playmaking skills, Harper averaged 3.0 assists in just under 7 minutes per game. Kanechika's biggest contribution was eight points against Syria. Big man Toyoshige Kano (Sunrockers) only played 13 combined minutes in Japan's four games. Which didn't provide a great opportunity for analysis for basketball reporters. But every opportunity to play is important for the 23-year-old ― and anyone else. Washington State alum Josh Hawkinson led Japan in scoring and rebounding at the FIBA Asia Cup. (©FIBA) star Josh Hawkinson of the Sunrockers turned 30 on June 23. One of Akatsuki Japan's veteran leaders, Hawkinson was the team's top scorer (17.0 points) and rebounder (11.8) at the FIBA Asia Cup. The naturalized Japanese citizen remains a vital member of the national team. (He also made key contributions at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics.) Japan's Hirotaka Yoshii looks to score against Lebanon on August 12. (©FIBA) Small forward Hirotaka Yoshii (San-en NeoPhoenix) was a steady presence for Japan in Jeddah, averaging 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. At the FIBA Asia Cup, he was one of Japan's assist leaders. Only Yuki Togashi (3.3) and Tominaga (3.5) averaged more assists per game. Throughout the tournament, Japan's reliance on 3-point shots to carry the offense was a constant. Hovasse's squad made 14 of 32 3s against Syria, then sank 10 of 31 against Iran and 20 of 50 versus Guam. In the loss to Lebanon, the opponent's tight perimeter defense was effective and Japan struggled to knock down long-range shots. Tominaga, who made 11 of 23 3-point attempts in the first three games, was 0-for-3 from beyond the arc on Tuesday. Lebanon gave him little space to operate on the perimeter. Togashi acknowledged after the game that Japan relied too much on 3-point shots against Lebanon. "When Tominaga was defended like that, we should have adjusted our offensive strategy during the game," Togashi said, according to the Japanese-language website Basketball King. In other words, attack the basket on a more frequent basis instead of settling for 3-point shots. Japan's Yudai Baba shoot a layup against Lebanon on August 12. (©FIBA/via KYODO) Free agent Yudai Baba, who played for the Nagasaki Velca from 2023-25 could return to the for the upcoming season. Or perhaps another stint in the NBA G League or another overseas basketball circuit is in the works. The 29-year-old small forward handled leadership duties as one of two co-captains (Hawkinson was the other) in Jeddah. He also contributed 7.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in the tournament. Like Hovasse and Togashi, Baba said he felt the FIBA Asia Cup will be a helpful learning tool for the Japan national team in the future. "This tournament was my first time serving as captain for the Japanese national team, so I really wanted to deliver results," Baba commented after being eliminated by Lebanon. "I feel there is a lot to learn from this loss in [the FIBA Cup]. As a team and as individuals, we want to use this result to grow further in our next [competition]." Akatsuki Japan had its best FIBA Asia Cup finish of the 21st century in 2015, when it placed fourth overall in China. For Team Japan, the 2025 tournament was a reminder that it has a lot of room for improvement in the months and years to come. Author: Ed Odeven Find Ed on JAPAN Forward' s dedicated website, SportsLook . Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven .
Japan Forward
06-08-2025
- Sport
- Japan Forward
FIBA Asia Cup: Japan Hammers Syria in the Teams' Opener
Josh Hawkinson scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the FIBA Asia Cup game, Keisei Tominaga poured in 18 points and Japan dominated the second half. Japan guard Keisei Tominaga shoots a 3-pointer as head coach Tom Hovasse looks on in a 2025 FIBA Asia Cup game against Syria on August 6 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (©FIBA) After an up-and-down performance in the first half, Japan rebounded with an improved effort at both ends of the floor in the second half. As a result, Japan trounced Syria 99-68 in the teams' opening match at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup on Wednesday, August 6. Syria led 41-32 at halftime. World No 21 Japan then outscored Syria 67-27 in the third and fourth quarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Veteran big man Josh Hawkinson led Japan with 26 points and 13 rebounds, along with four assists and two blocks. He had 20 points after intermission to ignite his team to victory. Japan's Keisei Tominaga finished with 18 points and six rebounds, and Hirotaka Yoshii also had a productive game, contributing 17 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals. Yoshii was 3-for-3 on 3-point attempts. Yuki Togashi came off the bench and sank 3 of 5 3-point attempts to account for his nine points, and Ren Kanechika contributed eight points. After committing eight turnovers in the first half, Japan coach Tom Hovasse's squad only had two more giveaways the rest of the game. Josh Hawkinson had a double-double (26 points, 13 rebounds) against Syria. (©FIBA) What was Hovasse's message to his players at halftime? "Basically, it was just, 'Let's play our style of basketball,' " Hovasse said after the game. "We kind of got out of sync [in the first half] and we weren't doing the small things that we normally do," he acknowledged. Japan had a more cohesive effort after its halftime pep talk. Looking back at the game, Hovasse commended Yoshii, who also competes as a small forward for the San-en NeoPhoenix. Hovasse credited Yoshii's impactful play as a key to the win, citing the energy he brought onto the court. Another key factor was Yudai Baba's defensive effort on Syria guard Keron DeShields. "DeShields is a great player, and Baba took it upon himself to really take that challenge and he did fantastic," Hovasse commented. Japan faces Iran in another Group B group phase game on Friday. Akatsuki Japan improved its all-time record in the FIBA Asia Cup against Syria to 4-1. It was the teams' first tournament showdown since Japan routed Syria 117-56 in July 2022 in Jakarta. In the runaway victory in Jeddah, Japan made 14 of 32 3s and held 71st-ranked Syria to 3-for-11 from beyond the arc. DeShields paced Syria with 21 points, but was held to four points in the second half. The Baltimore native also had eight rebounds and seven assists. Christian James Maran and Omar Cheikh Ali added 14 and 10 points for Syria. Syria guard Keron DeShields shoots a layup in the first half. (©FIBA) In the first half, "the players really locked in and did what we asked them to do," Syria coach Joey Stiebling told reporters after the game. The American-born bench boss said Japan made adjustments at halftime, and "we tried to make adjustments but we just couldn't execute defensively, and we gave up 66 points in the second half." DeShields said, "When we turned the ball over, they got going because they feed off of that." The difference, he noted, "was turnovers and transition defense." Up next: Syria will play Guam on Friday. Japan forward Hirotaka Yoshii runs the offense against Syria. (©FIBA) Japan erased Syria's halftime advantage with a tone-setting 12-0 run, including eight straight points by Yoshii, to open the third quarter. A Hawkinson layup gave Japan a 42-41 lead at the 8:08 mark. Yoshii delivered the assist. "Those first two minutes coming out of halftime, I think, were the big key to the game," Hawkinson said. "I think that calmed us down," he added, saying, "we played our style of basketball in the second half." Syria trimmed Japan's six-point lead to 51-47 on a pair of free throws with about 4 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Japan responded by pulling away. A Koya Kawamata putback put his team ahead 60-49. And entering the fourth quarter, Syria trailed 60-51. Moments later, Hovasse's squad initiated a 13-0 scoring spurt. It started with a Yoshii layup and ended with a Tominaga step-back 3-pointer, giving Japan a 73-53 advantage with 7:56 left. Repeatedly scoring in transition and utilizing its speed, Japan was in control at that point and maintained its sizable lead for the rest of the game. Japan point guard Kai Toews competes against Syria. (©FIBA) In the early going, Japan jumped out to a 9-0 lead. A Tominaga layup and free throw capped the game-opening run. Syria scored its first points on a Mohamad Bilal Atli jam at the 6:40 mark of the first quarter. And his team chipped away at the lead while grabbing momentum. At the same time, Japan's turnovers and missed shots helped Syria mount its comeback. DeShields sank four free throws on back-to-back possessions to cut the lead to 14-12. Togashi drained a 3-pointer on the final shot of the opening stanza and Japan led 18-12 heading into the second quarter. DeShields dominated on offense, sparking Syria to a 30-22 lead on a high-arcing 3-point shot with 6:37 to play until halftime. Seconds later, teammate Hani Adribi followed with a layup to give Syria a 10-point advantage. Although Japan still trailed by nine points at halftime, Hovasse said later the team's defensive effort began to make an impact toward the end of the first half. Australia is the reigning FIBA Asia Cup champion. The event, previously known as the FIBA Asia Championship, was rebranded as the FIBA Asia Cup in 2017. In Saudi Arabia, the 2025 edition of the tournament features 16 national teams and runs through August 17. Author: Ed Odeven Find Ed on JAPAN Forward' s dedicated website, SportsLook . Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven .
