Tominaga shocks his own coach with brilliant debut for the Akatsuki Five

MELBOURNE (Australia) - Even Japan head coach Tom Hovasse was shocked with what Keisei Tominaga brought to the table in Window 3 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers.

The 21-year-old 1.88M (6'2") shooting guard was perhaps Japan's most fearless player on the floor against both powerhouse Australia and Chinese Taipei. Over two games, Tominaga averaged a team-high 17.5 points, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steal, and 5 triples per game.

"His three-point shot has been so consistent," remarked coach Tom Hovasse after their win over Chinese Taipei, 89-49. "When he gets on fire, he's on fire. Even if he's not on fire, he's good. Whenever he shoots, I'm okay. I'm not going to tell him not to shoot."

His shooting and general offensive potency, however, were already expected. What actually surprised Hovasse was Tominaga's defensive energy and IQ.

"He shocked me. He's solid on the defensive end. He's active with his hands. He knows positioning."

For these, Hovasse believes that Tominaga's time in the US NCAA Division 1 as a member of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers has proven to be very instrumental in his growth.

"Every day he's practicing against Big Ten competition," Hovasse explained. "That's a fantastic league - defensively long and athletic, so he's getting better and better."

If one asks Tominaga himself, though, the rising star believes he can do better in succeeding games and tournaments, especially after Japan failed to be more competitive against Australia in their first game of Window 3.

"I feel like we could play better," Tominaga said in the post-game presser after losing to Australia. "This was my first game with the men's team, and I was very nervous."

"I am gonna get better, and I have to do my role more in the future."

Hovasse isn't too worried about how Tominaga will play in the future. The veteran bench tactician knows that the sweet-shooting Nagoya native will get more settled at this level with each passing game.

He also believes that Tominaga will continue to improve at a rapid rate because he plays in the United States, just as how his compatriots like Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe improved. It's a trend that Hovasse views both as a strength and an opportunity for Japanese basketball.

"Playing in America, that experience is really having a good impact on our system and basketball," Hovasse said. "But that's something Japan basketball needs to look at. Is there something we can improve in Japan, or do we create more bridges toward American colleges? Some of our main players have really been taught in America."

Looking ahead, one major question for Hovasse is whether more of their American-trained players will be available, whether it's for the FIBA Asia Cup 2022 or the succeeding windows of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers.

Right now, however, the Akatsuki Five are savoring this latest win, highlighted by Tominaga's brilliant debut.

FIBA