ODDS and EVENS | Japan Exits FIBA Asia Cup with Disappointment

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."

FIBA Asia Cup: A Building Block for the Future

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.

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 B.League's Levanga Hokkaido in the 2025-26 season, continues to hone his skills at both ends of the floor.

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. 

Jacobs, an athletic 203-cm player, had 10 points in back-to-back games to wrap up Japan's FIBA Asia Cup.

Young B.League Players Gain International Experience

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.

Steady Production from Veteran Players

B.League 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.)

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.

'A Lot to Learn' 

Free agent Yudai Baba, who played for the Nagasaki Velca from 2023-25 could return to the B.League 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.

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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.