In the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, Japan finally ended their 88-year losing streak against China, defeating them 76-73 in a close game. Yudai Baba was the top scorer with 24 points on just 10 attempts, while Joshua Hawkinson contributed a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds. Yuki Kawamura and Yuki Togashi also combined for 20 points in the backcourt. China’s leading scorer was Hu Jinqiu with 23 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Hu Mingxuan with 20 points and Abudushalamu Abudurexiti with 7 points and 10 rebounds coming off the bench. This win was a historic moment for Japanese fans, who had not seen their team defeat China in a major international competition since 1936.
Head coach Tom Hovasse expressed his excitement about the win, stating that it was a significant confidence boost for his team and a step towards their goal of playing in Paris. Yudai Baba also noted the importance of the win, mentioning that it was their first victory against China in 88 years and that their physical play for the entire 40 minutes was a positive aspect of the game.
China started strong with a 14-3 lead, but Japan quickly caught up and took control of the game, despite only shooting 34.4% from the 3-point line. Japan’s strong defense and strategic offensive play, including relying on long shots, proved to be effective against China. On the other hand, China struggled to find their rhythm and ended up shooting only 8 out of 29 3-pointers. Hu Jinqiu was a dominant force in the paint, but his efforts were not enough to overcome Japan’s strong performance.
In the last few seconds of the game, China had a chance to make a comeback, but missed opportunities and a turnover ultimately led to their defeat. Coach Aleksandar Djordjevic’s post-game explanation for the last shot deployment was that he expected his players to quickly pass the ball and find an open teammate, but there was a misunderstanding.
When asked about his future with China’s national team, Djordjevic declined to answer, stating that it was a disrespectful question. He also praised Japan’s performance and the exceptional play of Yudai Baba and Joshua Hawkinson, while acknowledging that his team is still young and has room for improvement.