Osaka Univ. Basketball: 2025 Intercollegiate Playback & Future Goals

Let’s take a look back at the exciting battles that each club at Osaka University of Sport Science fought in 2025.

The women’s basketball team lost to Takushoku University 66-83 in the second round of the All-Japan Intercollegiate College, making it to the top 16 just like last year. Coach Naomi Murakami regretted, saying, “The whole team was envisioning advancing to the top four, but it’s difficult.”

Ayebiden Grace (3rd year physical education, Okayama Kurashiki Suimatsu High School)

At the spring All-Kansai University Women’s Championship, they lost their fifth straight victory and placed 4th. All Kansai University Women’s League placed 2nd. Still, the team, led by Maho Mitsugi (3rd year, Faculty of Physical Education, Hiroshima Minami High School) and Ieviden Grace (3rd year, Faculty of Physical Education, Kurashiki Suimatsu High School, Okayama), continued to play athletic basketball that solidified their defense and connected them to offense, and they took on the intercollegiate competition with confidence that they could compete against the strong teams in the Kanto region.

Maho Miyoshi (3rd year physical education, Hiroshima Minami High School)

In the first round, they defeated Ritsumeikan University 54-42.
Their opponent in the second round, Takushoku University, is quick to switch between offense and defense and has strong international students. With the help of the boys, the team practiced to prepare for Takudai.
In the game, they led 24-22 in the first quarter. The score was 19-19 in the second quarter. He got off to a good start, making good shots just like he had in practice.
However, when the opponent switched to a zone defender in the third quarter, things stopped. Although they had prepared for this strategy, they were unable to react quickly and their defenders became lenient, leading to a 15-23 deficit in the third quarter. The lead increased to 8-19 in the fourth quarter.

Nanami Ito (4th year physical education, Chiba Keizai University High School)

Next season, in addition to mainstay Miyoshi and Grace, who are in their final year, point-getters Kiyona Oue (second year in the sports science department, Hiroshima Minami High School) will be the core of the team.
In addition, first-year players such as shooter Yuna Kidani (Sports Science, Kyoto Ryoyo High School), Oyareta Faber (Sports Science Club, Tottori Johoku High School), who was slow due to injury this season, and Runa Suenaga (Sports Science Club, Oita Meiho High School) are showing remarkable growth.
Coach Murakami is vowing to make a comeback, saying, “While we naturally need to improve our technique and individual level, we need to learn how to be sloppy through practice.The answer to everything lies in practice.”