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July 2018
14 Aika Hirashita (JPN)
21/05/2018
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Hirashita headlines initial Japan squad for U17 test

TOKYO (FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2018) – Having just missed the FIBA U16 Asia Women’s Championship 2017 title, hopes are high that Japan will shine at the FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup.

Having only missed the Quarter-Finals once, which was at the previous edition in Zaragoza two years ago, it could be Aika Hirashita that propels them back into contention when the action gets underway in Minsk.

Japan 14-player squad for FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2018
Kazu Fujita Misa Hayashi Aika Hirashita Yata Kato
Maya McArthur Norika Morioka Maika Miura Yoshinori Nishida
Haruka Noda Sakura Noguchi Nakamichi Reika Yu Suzuki
Miku Takahashi Rina Yamaguchi    

A standout competitor in Bengaluru last year, she is the headline name from the 14 candidates that have been busy in a preparation camp. Hirashita averaged a team-high 13.2 points in India and could now make a splash on the global stage, having also led in the rebounding category too.


She is joined by the highly-rated playmaker Miku Takashiki, with this group of players having already gained valuable experience of playing on European soil after facing Latvia in friendly games.

Japan will tip-off their campaign in Group A, where they will face hosts Belarus, newcomers Columbia and last year’s European U16 champions, France.

FIBA