JPN - It's all about the defense

TOKYO (FIBA Asia Championship/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Basketball fever was at an all-time high in Japan in 2006, when the country hosted the FIBA World Championship.

For the first time, 24 teams competed in the event and there were some memorable clashes.

The Japanese played their part in a thrilling tournament, beating Panama and almost upsetting New Zealand.

The country didn't qualify for the 2010 FIBA World Championship, but it has every chance of making it to the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

A top-three finish at the FIBA Asia Championship in the Philippines would punch Japan's ticket to next year's competition in Spain.

The players and coaching staff are in a good mood after beating an under-strength Philippines team to complete a three-game sweep of their friendly series.

The hosts won the opener, 86-67, and then prevailed in the second encounter, 83-76.

Japanese big man Kosuke Takeuchi poured in 23 points and corralled 11 rebounds in the third meeting, an 88-61 triumph.

The captain of Japan, Ryota Sakurai, added 12 points.

"We entered our training camp in May and we were able to play the kind of defense we wanted for the first time today," he said.

The coach of Japan, Kimikazu Suzuki, says everything depends on the team's ability to play lock-down defense.

"We experienced different things in the first two games," he said.

"But we wanted to play our brand of ball, which is to play stingy defense and run the court. I think we performed well today."

Next for the Japanese is the William Jones Cup in Chinese Taipei.

That competition will tip off 6 July and run until 14 July.

The FIBA Asia Championship gets underway 1 August.

FIBA