The Japanese men’s basketball team has qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Japan is currently co-hosting the 2023 FIBA World Cup with the Philippines and Indonesia. On Saturday, the Japanese men’s team beat Cape Verde 80-71 in Okinawa during their final group stage game at the World Cup. The victory earned them a spot in their second consecutive Olympic games.
According to Olympics.com, the victory was anchored by a strong performance from Josh Hawkinson, who played all 40 minutes and scored 29 points. Tominaga Keisei also had an important role off the bench, scoring 22 points.
“I think we showed the world what we can do. Now we’re on everybody’s radar, we’re on everybody’s maps. That’s a big step,” head coach Tom Hovasse said, according to Kyodo News.
Although they did not qualify for the FIBA World Cup quarter-finals, the team put on a show in front of a sold-out crowd in Okinawa.
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