In FIBA World Cup Qualifier, Japan Routs China and Clinches a Spot in 2nd Round
Japan improved to 4-1 in the first round of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers with a well-rounded 93-72 away victory over China on Friday night, July 3.
In Shenyang, China, B.League star Josh Hawkinson paced Japan with a game-high 27 points on 10-for-16 shooting, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range. He also handed out four assists and swatted two shots.
Former NBA forward Yuta Watanabe finished with 16 points and two blocks, while Ryusei Sasaki had 13 points off the bench in 16-plus minutes. Backup guards Keisei Tominaga (eight points) and Takumi Saito (five points, seven assists) also made key contributions.
And just weeks after helping lead the Nagasaki Velca to their first B.League title, veteran small forward Yudai Baba had an impactful all-around outing (nine points, game-high 10 rebounds, five assists, one steal, one block) for Akatsuki Japan.
With the victory, Japan, which sits atop the Group B standings, secured a berth in the second round of FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers.
China trailed 22-21 after the first quarter, and the hosts faced a 50-40 deficit entering the second half.
Japan extended its advantage to 59-44 heading into the fourth quarter. And Coach Dai Oketani‘s squad led by as many as 21 points late in the final period.
Japan’s Offense Steps Up in FIBA World Cup Qualifier
World No 22 Japan held China to 38.8% shooting (28 of 72) from the field, including 6 of 26 from beyond the 3-point arc.
At Liaoning Gymnasium, Japan’s strong shooting helped secure the win. The visitors shot 31-for-63 (49.2%). This included 19 of 33 on 2-point attempts and 12-for-30 from 3-point range.
In addition, Oketani’s team sank 18 of 21 free-throw attempts.
Japan’s offense had an efficient outing, registering 27 assists against 10 turnovers.
The victors also capitalized on their energetic performance, outscoring the hosts 23-8 in fast-break opportunities. Another example of Japan’s high-energy play was seen on defense, with the team making five blocks.
Japan avenged an 87-80 loss to China in Oketani’s national team coaching debut on February 26 in Okinawa City. In that match, Japan squandered a 15-point lead in the second quarter.
Facing 26th-ranked China again, Oketani said his squad was prepared for the challenge.
“We knew exactly how to attack, and also who to defend,” Oketani told a news conference. “Everybody did a great job playing their role.”
Oketani then said, “First and foremost, it was a really good win in a hostile away game environment. It was a really good team win.”
A Satisfying Victory for Japan
Hawkinson, a naturalized Japanese citizen, commented on his team’s determined effort from start to finish.
“I think first of all I’m really proud of how our team stepped up in an away environment, with the fans being loud and cheering against us,” the Washington State University alum said.
Training camp before the road trip provided important preparation for Hawkinson and his teammates.
“I think just being able to come together two or three weeks ago and execute the plan, and everyone kind of buying into the system, it was just an incredible team effort,” Hawkinson told reporters.
Citing 195-cm Baba’s 10 rebounds as a prime example, Hawkinson summed up Japan’s performance by saying, “So many guys stepped up in their own individual ways; it wasn’t just one person. So I’m really proud of the full team effort.”
Hawkinson had 17 points in the first half, knocking down 3 of 4 3s. He was 7-for-8 overall in the opening 20 minutes.
Noting how important Hawkinson is to the team’s offense, Oketani also commended the team for stellar pick-and-roll plays throughout the contest, and also for stretching the floor to create quality looks for 3-point shots. In addition, he said, “our ball handlers did a good job of touching the paint and creating closeouts.”
Center Jinqiu Hu led China with 15 points, followed by Sanning Liao’s 14 and Xining He’s 12.
Japan Overcomes an Early Deficit
China led 10-5 near the midway point of the opening quarter and held a 21-14 advantage after a Liao layup. Japan promptly called a timeout with 1:46 remaining in the quarter.
After the timeout, Hawkinson nailed a 3-pointer. On the team’s next possession, he scored on a driving layup, cutting China’s lead to 21-19 with 52 seconds left in the quarter. Sasaki picked up the assist.
On the final possession of the opening period, Tominaga canned a 3 at the buzzer, giving Japan a 22-21 lead.
A 12-3 scoring spurt in the second quarter increased Japan’s advantage to 43-32 on a Koya Kawamata dunk. Moments later, China fell behind by 14 points at the 2:09 mark before cutting it to 10 late in the period.
Baba blocked a 3-point attempt by Liao on the last play of the second quarter, ending the first half on a high note for Japan.
A Look Ahead
Japan plays its next FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifier against host South Korea on Monday, July 6 in Goyang.
On March 1, Oketani’s second game as Japan national team head coach, the squad beat South Korea 78-72 at Okinawa Arena. It was the coach’s first win as national team boss.
On Friday, South Korea slipped to 2-3 in the first round with an 82-80 home loss in overtime to Taiwan.
Taiwan and China also have two wins and three losses.
The top three teams in each of the four groups for the first round of FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers will advance to the second round, which starts in late August.
The Final Word
“Our oneness is our biggest strength as a team,” Oketani said during Friday’s news conference.
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Author: Ed Odeven
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