28 Jul
    11 Aug 2024

    Team Profile: Can Japan do a Tokyo 2020 cut and paste?

    5 min to read
    Preview
    Are Japan experiencing the feel good factor again?

    They made the Olympic Final for the first time in Tokyo, but was that just a one-off?

    PARIS (France) – The upcoming Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024 will see Japan looking to rekindle the spirt of Tokyo 2020 when they stormed their way to the Final on home soil.

    That historic best ever finish of a silver medal may have given them a taste for more success at the Games and a repeat would certainly be welcomed in the French capital.

    However, will being pitched into the 'Group of Death' sink Japan's podium bid before it truly builds any momentum?

    The Roster

    There’s a sense of strong familiarity with nine players from Tokyo 2020. But even of the three faces who weren't there, there is a lot to be excited about.

    Mai Yamamoto is a new star and standout of the last 18 months, while Stephanie Mawuli brings much needed dynamism and athleticism.

    If you want to see the content, you need to accept Targeting Cookies

    Veteran guard Asami Yoshida is one of the most seasoned players to represent Japan, debiting 17 years ago and also balling at Rio 2016. Among the returnees, Rui Machida holds the joint Olympic record for most assists in a game and will make the side tick having missed the last few years of action. Alongside her, Saki Hayashi is a three-point menace and takes games away from Japan's rivals if she gets hot. Forward line Evelyn Mawuli, Himawari Akaho, Maki Takada, and Yuki Miyazawi are set to do their work inside the paint, although like all Japan players, love to knock down triples too.

    The Question

    Have Japan still got the stomach and mental strength for crunch time?

    Since the epic highs of 2021 which included that unprecedented Olympic success and a fifth straight FIBA Women's Asia Cup title, they missed the Quarter-Finals of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 and relinquished their choke hold on Continental silverware last year.

    Will Japan dig out wins like that all-time classic Quarter-Finals win against Belgium?

    They navigated some very difficult moments en-route to the second podium step in Tokyo, including when they edged a game for the ages and modern day classic in the Quarter-Finals against Belgium.

    Things have not 'clicked' at major tournaments and they have not looked like the team that impressed so much at the last Games. There are going to be more testing moments from the get-go with this demanding group phase in front of them. They need to really fight and battle on the glass and relish the challenge to complement their great on-ball defense.

    The Hope

    The last major tournament that Rui Machida played was at Tokyo 2020 and you could argue that this Japan team has been a shadow of itself since her hiatus.

    With the playmaker back on board, could re-finding this temporary missing piece of the jigsaw be the difference maker?

    Machida was balling on a different level at Tokyo 2020

    If Machida is able to play anywhere near the level when she equalled the all-time Olympic game assists record, then Japan could be set for a resurgence.

    The Fear

    Their entertaining and energetic transition style of play is such a joy to watch. When they're making shots from long-range, they can truly make it rain and can be unstoppable.

    But if teams slow them down into a half-court game, will they figure out a 'Plan B' and be able to do the dirty work to get it done?

    Their biggest fear will surely be any scenario where they just can't control the tempo and play that 'run and gun' basketball that is in their DNA.

    The last 10 FIBA Events

    YEAR

    EVENT

    LOCATION

    ACHIEVEMENT

    2023

    FIBA Women's Asia Cup

    Australia

    2nd

    2022

    FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup

    Australia

    9th

    2021

    Olympics

    Japan

    2nd

    2021

    FIBA Women's Asia Cup

    Jordan

    1st

    2019

    FIBA Women's Asia Cup

    India

    1st

    2018

    FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup

    Spain

    9th

    2017

    FIBA Women's Asia Cup

    India

    1st

    2016

    Olympics

    Brazil

    8th

    2015

    FIBA Women's Asia Cup

    China

    1st

    2014

    FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup

    Turkey

    14th

    You might also want to read this

    Qualified Team Focus - Japan: Can they re-discover their Tokyo 2020 form?

    FIBA

    Latest News

    Canada Basketball and Coach Lapena end their collaboration

    French captain Sarah Michel Boury calls time after 145 games

    What's next in line for Xu Han to shine?