Japan and China got off to dominant starts as the second round of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers got underway.
Rui Hachimura made a triumphant return to the Akatsuki Five, leading Japan to a dominant 106-78 win over Saudi Arabia at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, while China cruised to an equally impressive 83-57 victory over Qatar at Al Janoub Stadium in Doha.
Japan improved to 5-2 for solo second place in Group F, while China climbed to 4-3 for solo third, although it remains tied with Qatar.
Hachimura, playing his first game for Japan since the 2024 Summer Olympics, was spectacular, finishing with 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting, along with four rebounds, three steals, two assists, and a block.
“Rui not missing a shot, especially in the first half, it’s because he puts in a lot of work in shooting the ball; he has great skills. But not only that, we did a great job as a team to get him good shots,” said Japan head coach Dai Oketani.
Josh Hawkinson added 21 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while Keisei Tominaga fired 14 points and Yudai Nishida chipped in 13 as Japan knocked down 15 three-pointers in the contest.
Japan led by as many as 38 points in the game.
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Meanwhile, China was firmly in control throughout its matchup against Qatar, jumping to a 23-12 lead early and eventually going up by as many as 26 points in the lopsided affair.
Yang Hansen had an efficient outing, finishing with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting and nine rebounds.
Hu Mingxuan added 12 points, Liao Sining and Zhao Jiayi contributed 11 apiece, while Hu Jinqiu finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Not successful on opening day of the second round was their fellow East Asian squad South Korea.
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Despite the return of Lee Hyunjung, South Korea bowed to group-leading Lebanon, 74-93, at Nouhad Nawfal Sports Complex in Zouk Mikael.
Lee, who missed Window 3 while playing for San Antonio in the NBA Summer League, was held to 11 points on 3-of-11 shooting, along with five rebounds.
South Korea fell to 3-4, tied with Saudi Arabia, while Lebanon improved to 6-1.
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Youssef Khayat led Lebanon with 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks, while Sergio El Darwich added 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Omar Jamaleddine had 16 points and nine rebounds, DJ Funderburk contributed 13 points, and Hayk Gyokchyan chipped in 12 points and eight rebounds.
Lebanon imposed its size on South Korea, holding a commanding 50-30 advantage on the boards.
Lee Junghyun and Yeo Junseok were the other double-digit scorers for South Korea, finishing with 13 and 19 points, respectively.
Mike Lewis led Qatar with 14 points, while Mohammed Alsuwailem paced Saudi Arabia with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting and 16 rebounds.
