Sports

BASKETBALL | Japan Men’s Squad Trounces Taiwan in FIBA World Cup Qualifier

“I was really hoping that we could show the fans in Japan what we can do, and today I think we did it.” ―Tom Hovasse, Japan coach

Published

2 years ago

July 3, 2022

Ed Odeven

Japan's Keisei Tominaga shoots a layup against Taiwan in a FIBA World Cup Asian qualifier on July 3 in Melbourne, Australia. (FIBA.BASKETBALL)

After losing by 46 points to Australia two days earlier, the Japan men’s national basketball team bounced back with an 89-49 victory over Taiwan in a 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifier on Sunday, July 3.

Japan trailed 11-7 after Taiwan’s Wei Chieh Tang nailed a jumper with 5:38 remaining in the first quarter against its Group B foe at John Cain Arena in Melbourne. After that, Japan went on an 18-3 game-changing run to close out the quarter, taking a commanding 25-14 lead.

Guard Keisei Tominaga, who is entering his junior season at the University of Nebraska in the fall semester, sparked Japan with 15 of his team-best 17 points in the opening period. Tominaga sank three 3-pointers in the first quarter.

Japan led 42-27 at halftime.

“It was a long two days after the Australia game,” Japan coach Tom Hovasse told reporters in a post-game news conference, “and with such a young team I thought we prepared well. And I was really hoping that we could show the fans in Japan what we can do, and today I think we did it.”

Read the full story here, on JAPAN Forward's dedicated sports website, SportsLook.

Author: Ed Odeven

Follow Ed on JAPAN Forward's [Japan Sports Notebook] here on Sundays, in [Odds and Evens] here during the week, and Twitter ＠ed_odeven, and find him on JAPAN Forward’s dedicated sports website, SportsLook.