Japan coach Utsumi chooses 12 players for Rio Games
TOKYO (Rio 2016 Olympic Games) - Japan coach Tomohide Utsumi has seen enough. The veteran play-caller has elected to finalize his roster for the 2016 Olympics
TOKYO (Rio 2016 Olympic Games) - Japan coach Tomohide Utsumi has seen enough. The veteran play-caller has elected to finalize his roster for the 2016 Olympics, despite the Rio de Janeiro Games not tipping off until 6 August.
The Japanese, winners of the last two FIBA Asia Women's Championships, will be led veteran point guard Asami Yoshida, center Yuka Mamiya and WNBA forward Ramu Tokashiki.
| Japan's 12-player roster for 2016 Rio Olympic Games | |||
| Mika Kurihara | Kaede Kondo | Rui Machida | Yuka Mamiya |
| Yuki Miyazawa | Naho Miyoshi | Sanae Motokawa | Moeko Nagaoka |
| Asako O | Maki Takada | Ramu Tokashiki | Asami Yoshida |
Japan will play in Group A against Australia, Brazil and three of the five teams that emerge from the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (13-19 June) in Nantes, France.
Yoshida and Mamiya have been with Japan the past several weeks while they warm up for the Olympics with friendly games against various WOQT national teams or Olympic-bound opponents while Tokashiki is in the United States competing with the Seattle Storm for the second year in a row.
Tokashiki, the MVP of the last two FIBA Asia Women's Championships, is averaging 3.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game in the WNBA.
Japan qualified for the Olympics when they beat China in the Final of last year's FIBA Asia Women's Championship. That triumph capped an unbeaten run for the Far East team at the event.
FIBA