“I want to give momentum to the team by aggressively scoring 3 points.”
The Japan Men’s Basketball National Team will play their second game of the World Cup 2023 qualifier Window 4 against Kazakhstan at the Okinawa Arena today. The next qualifier, Window5, will be held in mid-November, and this match will be the culmination of more than two months of national team activities this summer.
Since taking office, commander Tom Horvath has been actively calling in players with little national team experience to tryouts. Among them, Yutaro Suda was discovered along with young players such as Yuki Kawamura, Yutaka Yoshii, and Soichiro Inoue. Suda, who had a reputation for defensive power since the Utsunomiya Brex era when he became a professional, gradually improved his 3-point shooting power, which caught the eye of Horvath.
And when he established a play style that aimed at long-range guns more aggressively, he went on a rampage with 33 points, including 9 out of 12 3-point shots, in just 15 minutes of playing time against Syria in the Asian Cup. Since then, he’s earned consistent appearances.
Suda played in the 17th minute of the match against Iran, which was the first match of Window4, and was a member of the rotation. He has a long journey, an immediate match and a tough schedule, but he insists, “That’s no excuse.”
Okinawa, which is the stage of this time, is also a familiar land for Suda, who was enrolled in the Ryukyu Golden Kings for two seasons. He said, “Okinawa is one of the special places for me,” and he is enthusiastic about showing his growth to the Okinawan fans who support him even after he transferred. “In that sense, it’s a very emotional match.
The team this time has two strong players in the same positions as Yudai Baba and Shin Hiejima, who were absent during the Asian Cup when Suda emerged. As a result, the method of appointment has changed, but I think that there is no change in what should be done, saying, “The role is the same as before.” “They are two great players, and I am a little different from them, so I think it would be good if I could show it well. I hope I can make a play that can change the course of the game.”
And about the difference between the two, he continues, “It’s about 3-point shooting.” “I think that I am a player who specializes in that, so I want to actively hit 3-point shots and give momentum to the team.
As for Window, Suda has appeared in three games so far and has made 3-of-14 3-point shots, all of which have failed. With less than a year to go until the finals of the World Cup, many fans are looking forward to the sight of the first long-range cannons to explode at Window in Okinawa, which has a special feeling.