Japan basketball team arrive in Bahrain for World Cup qualifier

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Japan’s national basketball team has arrived in Bahrain ahead of their FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 qualifier against Bahrain tomorrow. 

The game is scheduled for a 7.05pm tip-off at the Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town.

The Japanese, who are already assured a place in the World Cup being co-hosts with the Philippines, have travelled with a 12-player squad.

They were received upon their arrival by Bahrain Basketball Association officials.

Their roster includes Aki Chambers, Luke Evans, Yutaroh Suda, Tenketsu Harimoto, Yuki Togashi, Bendorame Reio, Koh Flippin, Avi Koki Schaefer, Yutaka Yoshii, Teves Umi, Soichiro Inoue and Yuki Kawamura.

The nationals have been training over the past few weeks under Tunisian head coach Rasem Al Marzouki.

They had a mini-training camp in Jeddah, where they won both their friendly matches against the Saudi Arabia and UAE national teams.

After their game against Japan tomorrow, the Bahrainis face off with China on Monday.

The two games mark their ninth and 10th in Group F of this stage of Asian qualification.

The nationals are currently ranked last in their division with a 2-6 win-loss record— with their two wins having been carried over from the previous round.

Australia are the group leaders with an undefeated 8-0 mark, followed by China (6-2), Kazakhstan (5- 3), Iran (5-3), Japan (3-5) and Bahrain.

Group E of the Asian qualifiers features New Zealand (6-0), Lebanon (5-1), the Philippines (3-3), Jordan (3-3), Saudi Arabia (1-5) and India (0-6).

Following this week’s window of games, the Bahrainis then travel half-way across the globe for their last two qualifiers next year.

They play Australia on 23 February and then face off with Japan on 26 February in a pair of away fixtures.

At the end of this qualifying stage, the top three teams from each group—along with hosts Japan and the Philippines— qualify for next year’s World Cup