JPN – Wisman helping restore Japan pride

WURZBURG (FIBA Asia Championship) – Once considered a major contender in Asian basketball, Japanese basketball has fallen on tough times. But new head coach Thomas Wisman has helped restore pride in the program. The question remains if they will rebound to prominence in time for the 2012 Olympics.

Japan’s last Asia title dates back to 1971 with their only other continental crown coming in 1965. Nippon last reached the semi-finals of FIBA Asia Championship in 1997.

Since then, they three times finished third in the second group stage to Asia powers China and Lebanon. In 2007, Japan took third in the same stage behind Kazakhstan and South Korea.

Two years ago, four teams from the second group stage advanced to the final eight. Still Japan failed to move on, taking fifth in the group behind Iran, South Korea, Philippines and Chinese Taipei and finishing in 10th place.

In February 2010, Japan took a step towards returning to respectability by bringing in Quincy, Illinois native Wisman as new head coach.

“We’re trying to become a defense-to-break team – with a full court attack mentality,” Wisman told FIBA.com at Japan’s late August five-game warm-up tour of Germany and the Netherlands.

“Japan basketball in the past had played a style where they were playing too much half court I felt for the speed and quickness that they have in the team.”

The Japanese did not necessarily have success on their recent tour of Germany and the Netherlands, losing all five games against German sides Trier, Wurzburg, Bamberg und Frankfurt as well as Dutch club Groningen.

Despite an average loss by 18.8 points, Wisman was happy with his team’s showing.

“We showed that we’re handling pressure better. These teams pressure on defense. And we need more of that and have to handle that better,” said Wisman, who won the Japan JBL league title as coach with Link Tochigi Brex in 2010.

In China at the FIBA Asia Championship from 15-25 September, Wisman’s team will face off with Indonesia, Syria and Jordan in Group C. The top three finishers head to square off with the top three of China, Philippines, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates from Group D with the top four reaching the quarter-finals.

Awaiting in the top eight could be Asian giants Iran as well as strong sides such as Lebanon and Qatar as well as South Korea.

The big goal is clear for Wisman – get to the semi-finals. The Asian champions qualify directly for the 2012 Games in London while the following three finishers reach the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

“There’s going to be one game we have to win to get into the final four. And any one of those is going to be a tough game, But in the quarters, obviously we would like to avoid Iran,” said Wisman.

Japan are working their way up under Wisman, finishing fourt at the 2010 Asian Games and reaching the final of last year’s FIBA Asia Stankovic Cup.

“We have restored some pride in the programme, but we haven’t completed the job. Until we do establish it at an Asian Championship that we’re a top program again we’re still 10th place from the last championship.”

And the dream of returning to the Olympics for the first time since 1976 remains out there.

FIBA