“I think he’s one of the top players in the NBA,” he said.
The Japan men’s basketball team lost to the Slovenia national team in an international warm-up match 68-103.
Luka Doncic, the main pillar of the Slovenian national team, allowed 23 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. It can be said that he dominated the game by creating many free shooting opportunities while scoring himself.
Head coach Tom Horvath also said, “Doncic is unstoppable. He’s a special existence.” Doncic, who has been named to the All-NBA First Team four years in a row, was outstanding.
Shuta Hara, who matched up with Doncic, honestly praised his opponent’s greatness. “Even though he’s a point guard, he’s that size and that speed. He takes a big step, and although he’s not an afterthought, he’s good at tactics. Rather than his physical strength, I felt that he was good at judging situations and tactics.”
Hara is a defensive specialist who won the Best Defender Award in the 2022-23 season B League. In addition to his strong physique, it can be said that his greatest weapon is the wide range of defense that can be defended from 1st to 4th, with solid agility. In the second warm-up game against New Zealand, which suffered a complete defeat of 75-94, while most of the players gave in to the opponent’s physicality, Hara showed his defensive power without hesitation. Despite losing the match, “Physically speaking, I don’t feel overwhelmed. Foreign nationality players are stronger,” he said, gaining more confidence in his defensive power.
Doncic treated Hara, who can be said to be the cornerstone of Japan’s defense, lightly. Hara also says, “The strength of one-on-one matches and the skill of bargaining.
“The big man screen is also good, and if there is a slight gap there, he is bigger than me, so he will be behind from there. The player is not in the B League.I think he is a top class player in the NBA.”
“I want to continue doing work that can make other people frustrated.”
As he looked back on himself, Hara, who was wary of Doncic’s step-back three in the scene with 1 minute and 9 seconds left in the second quarter, was caught in a fake, committed his third personal foul, and gave three free throws. Shortly after, Doncic showed signs of concern for his shoulder, and the Slovenian head coach stepped up to Hara and said something.
“I’m not good at English, but we have a championship, so he told me to calm down.”
Hara explained the exchange at that time as follows. Warm-up games are preparations for the main game, and it is understandable that a coach would be nervous about a player’s injury. Especially for Japan, who witnessed the nightmare that Watanabe Hiroshi was forced out of the national team after being injured in a practice match against Angola. But Hara didn’t mean anything, and the moment he jumped, he folded his arms to avoid the foul. I understand the head coach’s thoughts, but from a third party’s perspective, he is the result of playing hard, and there is no reason for the head coach to say that. Regardless of the result, Hara also affirmed his own play.
“Honestly, I don’t think I’m playing dangerously, and I’m not intentionally getting into my feet. If you’re frustrated by that, I wonder if I’ve done one of my jobs. I don’t think it’s dirty, and I don’t want to get hurt.
After losing the last warm-up game before the World Cup in a 100-point game, rebuilding the defense is an urgent task. With the addition of Yuta Watanabe, we can expect to raise the level of rebound and rim protection. Still, he said, “It was a great experience for me to experience Doncic in preparation for the finals,” and further growth of Hara after match-ups with world-class players is indispensable for Japan.
2023-08-20 06:26:30
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