Japanese NT 2016 - 2020: Tokyo2020 Hayabusa Program

[CKR13]

Official: Julio Lamas is the new head coach. Kawabuchi san tweeted first and soon the JBA arranged a hasty press conference.

[amish112]

Furukawa does not even have the decent ball handling to create his own shot. Same with Kanamaru.

[CKR13]

Julio Lamas has arrived in Japan and was immediately introduced as the new head coach.

https://www.daily.co.jp/general/2017/07/21/0010391385.shtml?ph=1

[CKR13]

Julio Lamas means business. When he said that he wanted a fastbreak oriented Akatsuki Five, he had the 18 man player pool do a lot of intense cardio exercises and followed up by a lot of fastbreak drills.

Some players were found out to be out of shape and exhausted after the first round of cardio....

[mangangalakal]

Julio Lamas means business. When he said that he wanted a fastbreak oriented Akatsuki Five, he had the 18 man player pool do a lot of intense cardio exercises and followed up by a lot of fastbreak drills.

Some players were found out to be out of shape and exhausted after the first round of cardio....

ooh sounds like JL could be a good fit for Gilas.

[CKR13]

ooh sounds like JL could be a good fit for Gilas.

He is quite the disciplinarian... similar to Kenji Hasegawa. Lazy and egoistic players like Kosuke Kanamaru will most likely be dropped altogether.

[CKR13]

Landen Lucas, who spent his early years in Japan is bound for the B-League to play for the Toyota Alvark.

https://sidelinesportsmom.com/2017/07/24/the-next-chapter-begins/

JBA has long been interested in enlisting Lucas since his time with the JayHawks. In playing for Toyota, Lucas is one step closer in the door towards Akatsuki Five.

Note: Michael Parker received a Japanese citizenship when he played for Toyota.

[CKR13]

Japan NT for FIBA Asia Cup 2017

Ryoma Hashimoto (SeaHorses Mikawa)
Yuki Togashi (Chiba Jets)
Ryusei Shinoyama (Kawasaki Brave Thunders)
Makoto Hiejima (SeaHorses Mikawa)
Yudai Baba (Toyota Alvark)
Daiki Tanaka (Toyota Alvark)
Takatoshi Furukawa (Ryukyu Golden Kings)
Ryumo Ono (Chiba Jets)
Ira Brown (Ryukyu Golden Kings)
Tenketsu Harimoto (Nagoya Diamond Dolphins)
Atsuya Ota (San-en Neo Phoenix)
Kosuke Takeuchi (Link Tochigi Brex)

[reamily]

ooh sounds like JL could be a good fit for Gilas.

Dont tell that to Chot hahah

[reamily]

He is quite the disciplinarian... similar to Kenji Hasegawa. Lazy and egoistic players like Kosuke Kanamaru will most likely be dropped altogether.

Now I know why he was successful and Japanese bball has been successful lately..

[CKR13]

This Yudai Baba is good. A two way player and knows how to navigate the offese: making the right cut, gives the go ahead play for an easy alley-oop. Japan needs more two way players like Baba. Guys like Taito Nakahigashi, Takanobu Nishiwaka, Reo Vendrame, Ryusuke Enamoto and Rui Hachimura are potent additions to Japan's perimeter player.

[CKR13]

Despite the loss to Korea, Julio Lamas can make upgrades to his national team when the November WC qualification windows come around.

First is to drop a PG from the four point guard lineup:

Togashi
Hiejima
Hashimoto
Shinoyama

I'll drop Shinoyama and retain Togashi, Hashimoto and Hiejima. The latter can also plays SG most of the time.

This is where another athletic wing that can shoot and defend will help balance the roster out. Guys like Nagoya's Taito Nakahigashi, Hokkaido's Takanobu Nishikawa can add wing depth. From the universiade, 195cm Yusei Sugiura or 185cm Leo Vendrame could also be considered. Long shots like Seiya Ando, Naoto Tsuji and Shohei Kikuchi are also viable.

For the bigs, Japan must replace Ota and could just roll with both the Takeuchi twins -- if healthy. Ota does not really do anything other than occupy paint space, unreliable in pick and roll situations. Does not contest shots consistently. He's done so since 2010 but is a great overall teammate.

This is where the conditional availability of Avi Schafer or Gen Hiraiwa could offer relief. Yuta Watanabe most likely will be available most of the time after he graduates from GW.

[reamily]

Japan must upgrade the solid but super undersized Ira brown..someone who can work well with takeuchis.. Ota is solid but cant finish a lot of won games for Japan that gets away with them because of that..

[CKR13]

Japan must upgrade the solid but super undersized Ira brown..someone who can work well with takeuchis.. Ota is solid but cant finish a lot of won games for Japan that gets away with them because of that..

That's where Landen Lucas and Yuta Watanabe are being groomed for... Except that they must be available first.

[CKR13]

After Makoto Hiejima and Yuki Togashi, Hitachi's Leo Vendrame is the next great shot creator in the B-League. Can absolutely get into the late and finish against heavy contact. Vendrame's fast pace transition attack as a lead guard is one of the big reason why Hitachi is among the early surprise for this season. Defense, Vendrame is solid, probably from the exposure against Nike All-Asia camp in his young career.