Japan and Iran set preparation games for FIBA Asia Cup 2017
TOKYO (FIBA Asia Cup 2017) - Japan are seeking to jumpstart their preparations for the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 by naming their 15-man pool for back-to-back exhibition games opposite West Asia powerhouse Iran. The two preparation matches will be on 10-11 February at the Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center.
Japan are embarking on a new chapter in the national team's history, and these two games comprise the first step. Under interim head coach Luka Pavicevic, who recently replaced Kenji Hasegawa, the Akatsuki Five are hoping for good results against Iran, who are coming off a second place finish in the West Asia Basketball Association (WABA) Championship 2017.
Headlining coach Pavicevic's pool for this series are former NBA D-League player Yuki Togashi, twin towers Kosuke and Joji Takeuchi, sniper Kosuke Kanamaru and do-it-all wingman Makoto Hiejima. This 15-man pool was selected from an initial group of 68 call-ups to the national team. That group went through two training camps in late 2016, and the 15-man roster is sure to go through even more practice as this year's marquee tournaments and games close in.
Aside from picking those veterans, coach Pavicevic also wanted to choose younger players who could join the training group and develop their own skills. For instance, former youth team standout Seiya Ando has been included as well as University of Tsukuba's leader, Yudai Baba.
Coach Pavicevic is taking these preparations one step at a time, but he is happy with the talent in his pool, especially at the wings.
Japan Basketball Association names men's squad for February exhibition series against Iran | The Japan Times https://t.co/z6dMTAtkcl
— Kaz Nagatsuka (@kaznagatsuka) February 1, 2017
"We have quality players at small forward and shooting guard positions," he said in an interview with Japan Times.
JBA technical director Tomoya Higashino echoes this sentiment, and he feels upbeat about Japan's chances of making a splash this year.
"We are satisfied with what we’ve done so far," Higashino told Japan Times. "If we keep it up, I’m sure we are going to be where we want to be."
Iran and Japan last met on the court in the FIBA Asia Challenge 2016, with the former prevailing, 68-57, so the Akatsuki Five are certainly looking for some measure of payback.
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