By MARK REY MONTEJO
Filipino-Japanese Matthew Aquino has been included in the 25-man Japanese national training pool for the upcoming FIBA World Cup in August.
The six-foot-nine son of former Ginebra star Marlou Aquino was named to the training pool along with former PBA import Nick Fazekas.
The former National University center played in the PBA D-League before suiting up for the Bacoor Strikers in
the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, where he played with his father during the 2019-2020 season.
The 26-year-old Aquino, who traces his roots to Pangasinan, has a Japanese lineage on his mother’s side. He obtained his Japanese passport before turning 16, making him eligible to play as a local player of Shinshu Brave Warriors in Japan B.League.
Japan, which is co-hosting the biggest basketball tournament with the Philippines and Indonesia, is expected to be bannered by LA Lakers star Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe of the Brooklyn Nets.
In the World Cup, Japan is bracketed in Group E along with Finland (24), Germany (11) and Australia (3).
