Rui Hachimura to sit out remainder of FIBA World Cup
Star forward Rui Hachimura will not play in Japan's consolation games against New Zealand and Montenegro in order to rest his weary body, the Japan Basketball Association announced on Friday. A decision was made regarding Hachimura after discussions between the JBA and the Washington Wizards, ...
Togashi's status for World Cup in doubt due to broken hand
Just days after kicking off its preparation for the FIBA World Cup, the Japanese men's national team was jolted by some startlingly bad news out of the blue. Japan learned Tuesday that Yuki Togashi, the team's starting point guard, was diagnosed with a broken ...
JBA announces August exhibition schedule for national teams
The Japan men's national team will tune up for the upcoming FIBA World Cup with international exhibitions against New Zealand, Argentina, Germany and Tunisia in August, the Japan Basketball Association announced in Tokyo on Tuesday. The sport's national governing body also revealed the women's national ...
Japan coaches thinking long term for young hoop prospects
The next year and a half will arguably be the most important period in the history of Japanese basketball with the 2019 FIBA World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics on the horizon. But this country is also looking beyond that, trying to develop up-and-coming stars ...
With its recent revamp, Japan's B. League could make the Reiwa Era its own
After decades of stagnation and instability, Japan men's basketball is finally headed in the right direction. As the B. League marks the third anniversary since its founding, the nation's interest in one marquee game on May 11, the last day of its third season, highlighted ...
As Japan prepares to host the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, a number of the country's sports bodies are taking steps to prevent coaches from verbally and physically abusing athletes following a spate of high-profile cases. These measures include guidelines telling coaches to use ...
JBA lifts ban on four ex-national team players caught paying for sex
The Japan Basketball Association said Thursday it has lifted the suspension of four former national team players who were caught buying sex during last year's Asian Games in Indonesia. The B-League players — Yuya Nagayoshi (Kyoto Hannaryz), Takuya Hashimoto (Osaka Evessa), Takuma Sato (Shiga Lakestars) ...
Performance staff plays big role for Japan hoopsters
Right after the final buzzer, the TV camera momentarily caught head coach Julio Lamas giving a strong hug to athletic trainer Takeo Ichiyanagi after they helped accomplish a big feat in the Middle East in late February. Koichi Sato, the sports performance director for the ...
JBA establishes committee to cope with verbal, physical abuse on teams throughout nation
Oppressive actions such as corporal punishment and verbal abuse of athletes by coaches and those who have positions of authority have clearly been a major issue in Japanese sports in recent years. The Japan Basketball Association has recently formed an "integrity committee" to bring healthy ...
FIBA task force positive on Tokyo 2020 berth for Japan
Japan's men's basketball team is on the right track to earn a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, FIBA task force co-chairman Ingo Weiss told a news conference on Sunday. Weiss stressed that the Japan Basketball Association has fully lived up to the expectations of ...
Journey for Japan's hoop team to end with game for 7th place
The Japan men's national basketball team's bizarre, unprecedented journey at the Asian Games is nearly — and finally — coming to an end. The Akatsuki Five, who lost four players as a result of a scandal earlier in the tournament, will play with eight men ...
Brave Thunders run past Lakestars
The Kawasaki Brave Thunders had more points through three quarters than the visiting Shiga Lakestars accumulated in Friday's game. Not a good sign for the Lakestars. Kawasaki cruised to an 83-60 victory in the series opener at Todoroki Arena. The Brave Thunders improved to 15-7 at ...
