JPN – Nakagawa buoyant of Japan’s chances

CHENNAI (23rd FIBA Asia Women Championship) - Having missed out on qualifying for the FIBA World Championship four years ago, the women from the Land of Rising Sun are determined to compensate for that aberration, when they take to the court in the 23rd FIBA Asia Women Championship at Chennai.

“Our aim is to qualify for the World Championship,” said Japanese head coach Fumikazu Nakagawa after returning from training-cum-competition schedule in New Zealand.

Nakagawa himself makes a comeback at the helm of the National squad, having trained the team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and 1990 FIBA World Championship for Women.

The Japanese women head into the 23rd FIBA Asia Women Championship with their confidence high with a successful tour of New Zealand – having won their two games at Napier 64-51 and 80-71 before winning again at Porirua to round off an all-winning record.

Japan’s task is rather simple at Chennai – to repeat their bronze-medal finish of the 22nd FIBA Asia Championship for Women at Incheon two years ago – in order to qualify for the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women.

Seven players who played a vital role in steering Japan to that bronze will feature in the Japanese squad at Chennai.

Japanese chances received a shot in the arm with guard Yuko Oga fully recovered from her wrist injury, which forced WNBA team Phoenix Mercury to waive her for the season.

Oga, who is only the second Japanese to play in the WNBA – after Mikiko Hagiwara’s stints with Mercury and Sacramento Monarchs in the late 1990s – was the leader of Japan’s campaign at Incheon two years ago.

The 26-year-old returned an average of 11.6 points, five rebounds and 3.6 assists.

Giving Oga company will be her Jomo Sunflowers teammates forward Ryoko Utsumi, point guard Asami Yoshida and the 192cm-centre Kumiko Yamada.

Sharpshooting power forward duo Ai Mitani and Yuka Watanabe along with veteran centre Naomi Yashiro are the others who bring in their Incheon experience to propel Nakagawa’s plans.

“Oga and Yoshida are key to our plans,” Nakagawa said.

“Yamada along with Yashiro played the 2002 World Championship. That will come in very handy,” he said.


“Also let’s not forget all the others have the experience of the WJBL. I count on all this to help us sail through,” the 61-year-old added.

Nakagawa put his faith on his team’s ability with fast breaks to achieve its goal in Chennai.

“We have found it difficult to go over the height of China and techniques of Korea,” Nakagawa said.

“But we have been concentrating on building our strengths which will be quick fast break and active defense,” he added.

S Mageshwaran
FIBA Asia