The Japan Basketball Association (JBA) has finalized its 18-man training camp roster for the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian qualifiers, with several national team candidates demonstrating strong form during recent B.League Premier action.
On November 9, league play featured standout performances from players who were due to vie for one of the 12 final spots in the squad ahead of the upcoming international window.
Keisei Tominaga paced Levanga Hokkaido in their 85–79 win against the Kyoto Hannaryz on Saturday. Tominaga logged 27 minutes and 58 seconds on the floor, contributing 19 points, two rebounds, and three assists. While he missed all five of his three-point attempts, he proved efficient inside the arc, converting eight of his nine two-point shots and sinking all three of his free throws.
In the matchup between Altiri Chiba and the Kawasaki Brave Thunders, two players with recent national team experience—Kotetsu Kurokawa and Alex Kirk—saw significant minutes.
Kurokawa, who helped Japan secure a silver medal at the Asian Games in September, recorded eight points and four assists for Altiri Chiba, including two successful three-pointers. Despite a scoreless outing, Kawasaki’s Alex Kirk anchored the paint with eight rebounds, four assists, and one block in an 85–76 defeat.
Hirotaka Yoshii helped the Ibaraki Robots defeat the Ryukyu Golden Kings 80–72. Over his 31 minutes and 23 seconds of action, Yoshii registered seven points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block. The win moved the Robots to an 8–8 record, bringing the team back to a .500 winning percentage for the season.
Takumi Saito endured a difficult night in his team’s 76–87 loss to the Gunma Crane Thunders. Saito recorded nine points, four rebounds, and two assists in 29 minutes and 39 seconds of play, but his performance was hampered by a season-high six turnovers. The defeat snapped Nagoya’s 11-game winning streak.
The B.League Premier is scheduled to enter a “bye week” following the games on November 18 to accommodate national team duties. The Japanese men’s national team will begin its training camp on November 19 to prepare for two away games. Japan is set to face Lebanon on November 27 at 4:00 and Qatar on November 30 at 1:00.
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