Japan’s national basketball team is already neck-deep in training for its first FIBA qualifying game against Gilas Pilipinas on Nov. 24 at the 3,800-capacity Komazawa Gymnasium in Tokyo.
Under the watchful eyes of multi-titled Argentine head coach Julio Lamas, the Japanese squad has been holding camp at the National Training Center since last month.
Reporting for duty include twin brothers Kosuke and Joji Takeuchi, Makoto Hiejima, Yuki Togashi, Daiki Tanaka and naturalized forward Ira Brown, according to the Japan Times.
Japan and the Philippines are in Group B alongside Australia and Taiwan and the series of home-and-away matches will climax in the 2019 World Cup in Beijing.
Focus is on the 35-year-old Brown, who saw action for Gonzaga University before failing to get drafted in the NBA.
Brown also had a stint in the PBA as a San Miguel import.
Brown’s athleticism is key to his inclusion on the team apart from being a familiar fixture in the Japan pro league.
