MANGILAO (Guam) - Japan clinched a spot in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 but not before overcoming a tough stand by Guam, 83-78, at the Calvo Fieldhouse on Sunday.
The continental powerhouse needed big plays from Joshua Hawkinson and Yudai Nishida down the stretch to avert a collapse from taking place after the home team roared back from 16 points down early in the fourth and tied it up at 71-all.
Veteran Makoto Hiejima went on to ice the game through a perfect trip to the foul line with 9.9 seconds left to play, and the crew went on to remain unbeaten across two windows of the Continental Cup Qualifiers with a clean 4-0 record.
Now they've become the first team outside of hosts Saudi Arabia to qualify for the continental conclave set next year, hoping of course to replicate - or to better - their 1997 campaign in the same place, where they went all the way to the Final.
Nishida top-scored for AKATSUKI JAPAN with 21 points on a 6-of-11 clip from beyond the arc as the 25-year-old winger carried over his fine play from their rout of Mongolia, which saw him notch a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Hirotaka Yoshii produced 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Hawkinson - back in the lineup after Alex Kirk assumed his role last game - had 13 and 16.
Hawkinson was the stabilizing presence needed by the Japanese amid the threat, first by converting a crucial three-point play for the 74-71 lead with 2:47 to go.
He then found Nishida open for a three-pointer, and then completed another and-one to push their lead to seven points, 80-73, with 1:33 on the clock.
Nishida and 'Mako' did their part to keep their foes at bay by going a combined 3-of-4 from the stripe in the final 20.2 as Guam could no longer muster one last rally.
Earnest Ross led Guam with 30 points, spiked by 6 triples, and 10 rebounds as the wide-bodied forward powered the comeback from a deficit as big as 19.
Jericho Cruz supplied 13 points and 5 assists. Takumi Simon made 11 points, while Jonathan Galloway added 10 in the loss that dragged their card to 1-3.
*This article will be updated.