Japan men's national team head coach Julio Lamas insisted that there will be uphill battles for the Akatsuki Five at the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup in China, but said that he certainly hopes the team comes up with its best-ever results.
One day after he returned from his native Argentina, the 55-year-old pointed out that his team does not have vast experience on the global stage yet, which he thinks is significant to compete at a tournament like the World Cup or Olympics.
Japan earned a spot at the World Cup (previously known as the FIBA World Basketball Championship through 2010) on its own for the first time since 1998 through Asian qualifiers. It will also make its first Olympic appearance since the 1976 Montreal Games at next year's Tokyo Olympics.