OSAKA (Japan) - Japan pulled off yet another stunning result in the world of women’s basketball after overcoming a 20-point deficit against Canada to win 86-79 in overtime in their first game of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 Qualifying Tournament Osaka.

"They always stayed positive, built each other up, and played with high energy until the end."

Canada controlled the tempo of game in the first half, slowing down Japan from their usual fast pace play and stopping their transition game. Japan were forced to take tough shots, which led to fast break points on the other end for Canada. 

In the middle of the third quarter with 6 minutes and 42 second left, Canada took biggest lead of the game 47-27, a whopping 20-point lead. They had been in control of the tempo so far and had a sizable lead in their hands and it seemed as if there wasn’t much time left on the clock.

However, it was at this crucial moment that Japan put on display why they are the silver medalists from the Tokyo Olympic. They increased defensive intensity and stopped Canada from scoring easily in the paint. Instead, Japan were able to overwhelm Canada with their speed.

After scoring only 23 points in the first half, and merely 8 in the second quarter, Japan flipped the script to score 23 in the third quarter alone.

On the offensive end, Stephanie Mawuli, who had 18 points and 4 rebound, was a game changer. She put on display her versatility in the third Quarter and Japan cut the lead down to only single digits to enter the final interval. The momentum was totally changed.

 Mawuli never doubted Japan’s comeback bid for a second, not matter how much they trailing by. 

"In the second half, it was obvious that Canada was tired,” she said after the game. “We said to each other that we would take advantage with agility, and to be honest, I didn't feel like we were going to lose even during the halftime [down by 17 points], so I'm happy with that."

Japan finally tied the game in the tail end of the fourth quarter. Once the game went into overtime, Japan dominated the extra period, 13-6, and even led by as much as 10 points to complete the comeback victory when the final buzzer sounded.

Three-point shooting made a huge impact in this game. In the first half, Japan made only one three-pointer from nine attempts and struggled to get into their groove. However, in the second half and overtime, Japan caught fire and made 6 of their 10 attempts during their furious comeback bid.

Aside from Mawuli, 22-year-old Mai Yamamoto stepped up as well. In 19 minutes, she scored 12 points and made 5 assists, and shined by making many important plays in the second half. The two youngsters made their presence known and coach Toru Onzuka wasn’t shy of praising their decision making.

“They was very energetic and creative, and I think they are dominating the game. I'm proud of our young girls,” he said.

As Japan is revered as Olympic silver medalists, it’s easy to forget that there are a lot of new elements in this team. Both of the aforementioned Mawuli and Yamamoto were actually on the 3x3 team at the Olympics. Ramu Tokashi, who had 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, was nursing an injury at the time. And even though coach Onzuka has long been a part of the team, he had only recently taken over the position as head coach last year.

“We had prepared well, but we had very little game experience with this roster. It was a physical situation and I thought the players were in trouble in a different situation compared to before,” coach Onzuka said of the struggles early in the game which lead to a big deficit.

Nonetheless, Japan were able to make a stunning comeback, showcasing the fighting spirit that’s becoming a trademark for the program.

“It was a tough game, but I'm really proud of the players,” added Onzuka. “They always stayed positive, built each other up, and played with high energy until the end.”

FIBA