[ODDS and EVENS] The Next Generation of Akatsuki Japan Backcourt Stars Has Arrived

OKINAWA CITY ― Generational shifts don't happen according to a precise blueprint, but Akatsuki Japan had a pay-attention-to-us performance on Sunday, August 27.

Specifically, Yuki Kawamura and Keisei Tominaga signaled their arrival as irreplaceable players on the Japan men's national team. And the 22-year-old guards are young enough and talented enough that we should expect the following: They have a chance to be cornerstones of the national team, aka Akatsuki Japan, for the next decade ― perhaps even longer.

Kawamura lit up the scoreboard against Finland in a Group E match at the FIBA Basketball World Cup on Sunday, especially in the fourth quarter when he scored 15 of his 25 points in Japan's 98-88 victory. The Yokohama B-Corsairs guard, who was named the B.League MVP for the 2022-23 season, made four clutch 3-pointers in the fourth, showing poise beyond his years and steely nerves to help ignite Japan's comeback at Okinawa Arena.

Coach Tom Hovasse's squad trailed 71-53 with under 3 minutes to play in the third quarter. 

A win didn't appear probable for Akatsuki Japan. And without the contributions of Kawamura and Tominaga, both of whom came off the bench against Finland, it wouldn't have been possible.

In addition to scoring 11 of his 17 points in the second half, Tominaga, who's entering his final season at the University of Nebraska, also made three steals. His defensive toughness and derring-do were equally impressive.

According to Tominaga, team unity keyed Japan's spirited comeback and dramatic victory. 

"We trusted each other [and] we played together," Tominaga told a news conference.

Kawamura and Tominaga made a combined 8 of 14 3-point attempts.

Kawamura Impresses with a Stellar Passing Game Against Finland

In 36th-ranked Japan's 81-63 loss to Germany in the teams' first game at the Basketball World Cup on Friday, August 25, Kawamura had seven points on 2-for-12 shooting (2-for-9 on 3s) along with three assists and four turnovers. 

Kawamura didn't lose faith in his abilities after a frustrating individual (and team) performance. And his teammates, clearly, didn't lose faith in the 172-cm point guard to make important plays against Finland. You could see it in their body language and in eye-to-eye contact when Kawamura dribbled the ball, threaded passes through traffic and nailed spot-up or pull-up jumpers. 

The importance of Kawamura's nine assists without a turnover cannot be overstated. 

It was also a big test on the international stage for Kawamura, who established himself as a floor leader for Japan in an important game. Eight years younger than fellow B.League star Yuki Togashi, the current Akatsuki Japan team captain and starting point guard, it looked on Sunday night that the generational torch has been passed to Kawamura.

"I think that my role on the national team has become clear," Kawamura told reporters after the game, citing his dribble penetration and distributing the ball to teammates.

'No Hesitation at All'

In any sport, there are games when an athlete matures before our eyes. This was one of those games for Kawamura, whose confidence has taken him to the next level. He has clear faith in his shooting ability, and it's related to his dribbling and passing skills.

"I had no hesitation at all," Kawamura told reporters about launching 3-pointers in the pivotal fourth quarter. 

Why not?

"I just kept my eyes on the rim," he insisted, "and I was able to hit 3-pointers because I attacked the paint in the first half."

For Kawamura, an aggressive mindset guided his passing and shooting. 

He recognizes, however, that creating scoring chances for his Akatsuki Japan (and B-Corsairs) teammates is his first priority.

"I think that attacking the paint will be a strength in my career," Kawamura told reporters, looking ahead to the future.

3-Point Shooting Opens up Japan's Inside Attack

Similarly, Tominaga wasn't thrilled that he only had five points against Germany. But throughout his 18-plus minutes of court time against Finland, Tominaga was laser-focused on getting open to be in position to take shots and passing the ball to center Josh Hawkinson (who scored a game-high 28 points and grabbed 19 rebounds) and other teammates.

Hovasse reflected on how Kawamura and Tominaga sparked the team with 3-point shots and youthful exuberance in Japan's upset victory over world No 24 Finland.

"Once you start making 3s, they (the opponent) have to come out and respect that, and that opens up our speed," Hovasse observed.

"So that's always the type of basketball that we wanted to play. We just haven't been making our 3s."

Case in point: Japan missed 29 of 35 shots from beyond the 3-point arc against Germany. Japan improved to 11-for-28 against Finland.

"But once Tominaga got hot and Kawamura got hot, you noticed that in the fourth quarter Josh just started getting wide-open layups," Hovasse said. "Their men were so worried about guarding the 3-point line that we were able to get some slips and some open baskets. That's our game plan, it just hasn't worked until the second half [on Sunday]."

A Spot in the Second Round is Up for Grabs

By beating Finland, Japan gave itself a shot at possibly advancing to the second round. It needs to beat Australia on Tuesday night to make that happen. Tipoff is set for 9:10 PM JST. Group E's Germany has already qualified for the second round. 

Australia, the bronze medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is ranked third in the world and coming off an 85-82 defeat to Germany on Sunday.

In July 2022, the Boomers defeated Japan 99-85 in the quarterfinals of the FIBA Asia Cup in Jakarta, where Tominaga had a game-high 33 points.

"In the Asia Cup, Keisei had a really good game that kind of kept us in it," Hovasse recalled.

Australia edged Lebanon 75-73 in the tournament final.

On February 27, 2022, Australia routed Japan 80-64 at Okinawa Arena in a Basketball World Cup qualifier. Kawamura and Tominaga were not a part of Japan's roster for that game.

Australia reminded Hovasse of its overall quality in that 40-minute duel.

Impressions of Group E foe Australia

"They are one of the best teams in the world," Hovasse said after Japan's win over Finland, "so we can't allow them to push us around. They're bigger, they're strong, we have to battle on the rebounds, we have to keep it close on the rebounds, and we have to shoot probably better [on Tuesday] than we did tonight."

Tominaga and Kawamura factor into that objective.

What else will it take to beat Australia?

"If we can settle in and play our game and play at the pace we want, I like our chances," Hovasse said. "We're here to win, we're not here to participate. Obviously, we never take them lightly, they are amazing."

RELATED:

• Japan Overwhelms Finland in Fourth Quarter to Secure a Basketball World Cup Win
• [ODDS and EVENS] Keisei Tominaga Displays Impressive Scoring Skills in Breakthrough Season
• B-Corsairs Playmaker Yuki Kawamura Dazzles with Pinpoint Passes, Youthful Energy

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.