OKINAWA, Japan - Co-host Japan will tip off the FIBA Basketball World Cup at Okinawa Arena on Friday against a German side staking its place among the sport's global elite.
Led by 10-year NBA veteran point guard Dennis Schroder, the 2022 EuroBasket bronze medalist arrived in Japan following a strong run of exhibition performances culminating in a 91-99 loss Sunday to the United States in which it pushed the World Cup favorite to the brink.
With an NBA contingent also including brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner of the Orlando Magic, and Indiana Pacers center Daniel Theis, the European side has been picked by some pundits to finish on top of arguably the toughest group of the tournament, Group E, at Okinawa Arena.
The official FIBA site has installed Germany No. 2 behind Team USA in its latest World Cup power rankings, but Schroder said performances in warm-up games would have little bearing on the tournament.
"Every game we play, we want to give everything we have to come up with a (win), but the rankings and all that, I don't really pay attention to it," Schroder said Thursday. "It's about the teams here, who you've got to respect, and it starts with Japan tomorrow."
The 29-year-old Toronto Raptors guard, who parted ways with the Los Angeles Lakers in the offseason, said the German team was nevertheless setting its sights high.
"We're here for something big, for sure," he said. "It starts tomorrow when we get into the arena and how we represent for our country. I think we're ready."
World No. 36 Japan will look to even the slate with 11th-ranked Germany after going down 81-70 in their previous meeting at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.
Co-hosting with the Philippines and Indonesia this time around, Japan faces a daunting battle to emerge from a group also including No. 3 Australia and No. 24 Finland.
Akatsuki Japan head coach Tom Hovasse, who steered the country's women's team to silver at the Tokyo Olympics, has stated the goal of finishing highest among the Asian teams at the World Cup and earning automatic qualification to next year's Paris Games.
"It's a big goal for us," the American tactician said. "We're really focused on the game tomorrow night against Germany. They're a great team...we're excited about the challenge."
Echoing his coach's sentiment, Japan captain Yuki Togashi said he was happy to go into the game as the underdog.
"I don't feel any pressure," the 30-year-old guard said. "Just to play against one of the best teams in the world...on the biggest stage, I can't wait to play tomorrow."
Hovasse will aim to upset Japan's more fancied groupmates with an up-tempo playing style involving quick ball movement and plenty of three-point shots.
He will most likely need big performances from Phoenix Suns swingman Yuta Watanabe -- Japan's sole NBA representative in the absence of Lakers forward Rui Hachimura -- as well as Nebraska Cornhuskers live wire Keisei Tominaga, if Japan is to defy the odds in Okinawa's "Group of Death."
Schroder, who made a deep playoff run with the Lakers alongside Hachimura last season, said he respected his former teammate's choice to sit out the World Cup, which the Japanese Olympian announced in late June before signing a new three-year deal with Los Angeles.
"Everybody is his own man, so you've got to respect his decision. Of course everybody else in Japan is probably sad, but you don't know what's going on with him," Schroder said.
"I mean (Japan) is still a great ball club. I told him whatever you do, I support him, and outside of basketball he's my brother."
