Young guns Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe carried the scoring load in helping Japan to an 85-70 win over Kazakhstan in the first game of the second round of FIBA World Cup Asian qualifying on Thursday.
Hachimura finished with 24 points on an efficient 8-for-14 from the floor, including 8-for-9 from the free throw line, and added seven rebounds, while Watanabe struggled with his shot a little (7 of 15) but still tallied 17 points and blocked two shots.
The hulking 203-cm, 102-kg Hachimura, who last season played a bigger role in his second year at Gonzaga University, said the team's focus on the boards and defensive end proved the difference in what was a must-win game against the central Asians.