The Japan Basketball Association (JBA) announced on its official website on the 24th the 12-member entry of the Japanese men's basketball team to play against China in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifying window 1 scheduled for the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo on the 25th.

Japan, which had a 77-56 victory in an away match against Guam on Tuesday, made some changes to its entry. Josh Hawkinson (Shibuya) replaced naturalized player Josh Harrelson (Saga), and Yutaro Tuda (Nagoya) was omitted and Hirotaka Yoshi (Tokyo) made the list.

A notable name is Hawkinson. Having naturalized as a Japanese citizen last year, Hawkinson drew attention as he performed well with Yuki Kawamura of the Yokohama FC at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He played for an average of 35 minutes in five games, posting 21.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. In the game against Finland, he had 28 points and 19 rebounds, completely dominating the net.

Ahead of this season, Hawkinson has built a new nest in Shibuya, the Sun Rockers of the B.League. He is a key member of his team as he can play both inside and outside and has strength in rebounding. His season record is 16.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, playing an average of 32 minutes and 16 seconds in 33 games in the regular season.

In the preliminary round of the Asia Cup in which two consecutive matches take place, it is very rare for Japan to make a change in entry after one match. Nevertheless, Japan beefed up its height by joining Hawkinson and forward Yoshi, who is 196 centimeters tall. This shows how much Japan values the match against China at home.

China has recruited a large number of young players, including 216-centimeter-tall big man Yang Hansen, who was born in 2005, instead of Zhou Yuqi and Wang Zhoulin. Although the team is not fully armed, it is impossible to calm down as the team has a large number of high-ranking players. In a match against the underdog Mongolia on Tuesday, the team garnered a landslide victory (80-49) by 31 points.

With Hawkinson joining the team, Japan will have a showdown with China as the best member. The match between Japan and China is expected to be one of the best big matches in the preliminary round of the Asia Cup. Their showdown will be tipped off at 2 p.m.

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