Japan qualifies for 2024 Paris Olympics as best Asian team / News - Basketnews.com

Japan scored just 7 points in the fourth quarter but managed to survive en route to a difficult victory. As such, they qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic games as the best team from Asia in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Japan needed to win the last game against Cabo Verde to advance to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. They controlled the match in front of the home crowd in Okinawa and got a relatively easy win - 80-71 (17-19, 33-18, 23-18, 7-16).

Player of the Game EFF 37 Josh Hawkinson Points 29 Accuracy 9-14 Rebounds 7 Assists 4

Even though Edy Tavares-led squad had an early lead (19-11), Japan quickly pushed back with a 12-0 run to take the lead (23-19).

Keisei Tominaga lit up from behind the arc, making three triples in a row during the second quarter, Josh Hawkinson converted an alley-oop, and Japan already had a 17-point lead near the end of the first half (47-31).

When it seemed like it was all but over, Cabo Verde managed to keep Japan scoreless for more than 7 minutes in the fourth quarter and went on an impressive 13-0 run. The first point by Japan was scored on a free throw after Tavares' technical foul.

Despite struggling in the fourth quarter, the hosts managed to survive and earned the victory in front of the ecstatic home crowd in Okinawa. With the win, Japan qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as the best team from Asia.

Despite Edy Tavares on the other side of the court, Josh Hawkinson dominated offensively, scoring 29 points alongside 7 rebounds and 4 assists for a game-leading efficiency score of 37.

Tavares answered with a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds, but his technical foul and offensive foul in the last two minutes of the game helped Japan grab the win.

It will be the eighth time Japan will participate in the Olympic Games.

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