With a significant pair of wins during the previous window of the Asian qualifiers in Toyama late last year, the Akatsuki Five got much closer to clinching a berth for this summer's FIBA World Cup finals in China.
But Julio Lamas, the Japan men's national team head coach, and his players won't take anything for granted in the upcoming final two games of the preliminaries.
Japan will take on Iran on Feb. 21 and Qatar on Feb. 24, both away.