Japan reached the top of Asia at the FIBA World Cup 2023, closing the historic Olympic ticket after 47 years of waiting
The Japanese basketball team will leave for France next summer to attend the 2024 Paris Olympics. No longer using the host slot like Tokyo 2020, the basketball team from the land of the rising sun is now an Asian team with a record of success. best at FIBA World Cup 2023.
The team led by NBA bigman Yuta Watanabe and especially "Japanese Curry" Keisei Tominaga won 80-71 against the Republic of Cape Verde (Cape Verde), thereby closing the Olympic slot in front of the enthusiastic support of the fans. grave in Okinawa.
This is considered a historic ticket of the Japanese team with the motto "heart over height", although they do not have a tall squad but always fight with all their heart.
“We are going to Paris,” said head coach Tom Hovasse of the land of the rising sun. My students did it."
“Japan does not have a good average height like other teams, but we have a fighting spirit with high determination. The opponent has brought a difficult challenge and we are ready to welcome it, especially the young players who have spoken up."
“There is nothing better than winning, getting tickets to the Paris Olympics and celebrating in front of a home crowd like this. I'm really too happy," said Keisei Tominaga, the Player of The Game title with 22 points ahead of Cape Verde.
As of September 3, Japan is the fourth team to finalize a spot to attend the 2024 Paris Olympics as the first-place team in Asia. The remaining three teams include Australia, South Sudan (first place in Africa) and host team France.
There are still four spots left to go to Paris for teams to compete for from now until the end of FIBA World Cup 2023. After that, teams without tickets will have to compete through the Olympic qualifiers taking place at the end of this year and early next year. .
