Tominaga and Tanaka star as Japan scuttle India

FOSHAN (FIBA U16 Asia Championship) - Japan bucked a slow start and used their trademark speed to scuttle India, 109-57, on Day 2 of the FIBA U16 Asia Championship.

India were the ones who began the game with a lot of aggression, feeding their twin towers around the basket for easy scores, but the Japanese adjusted late in the first period and proceeded to dictate the tempo. Coach Tosten Loibl's wards turned a 17-all game into a rout thanks to a 36-12 scoring outburst in the second quarter that all but broke the backs of the Indians.

Coach Vibhor Bhriguvanshi had hoped his squad would be able to gain some lost ground in the third period, but the Japanese were the ones who came out of the break with more energy. Keisei Tominaga caught fire in this period, scoring 19 points in just 5 minutes to quash any hopes of an Indian comeback. For the second game in a row, Tominaga led Japan in scoring as he ended up with a game-high 27 points, hitting 7 three-pointers in the process.

Hotshot Chikara Tanaka rebounded from a so-so Day 1 effort to tally 22 points, 3 assists and 2 steals. Big man Keijiro Mitani also contributed positively with 18 points and 5 rebounds while shooting 8-of-12 from the floor. Tanaka and Mitani were the ones who helped spark Japan's second quarter surge.

Japan now rise to 2-0 in Group D and have officially avoided elimination. They will, however, need another win to ensure their passage into the Quarter-Finals. They face Korea tomorrow.

The Indians, who drew a combined 37 points and 23 rebounds from big men Harsh Tomar and Princepal Singh, sank to 0-2 and will fight for their lives tomorrow against Lebanon.

FIBA