JAPAN rallied behind a huge performance from Joshua Hawkinson to defeat Finland to the tune of 10 points on day three of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Both sides came into the game on the back of a tough loss, with Japan blown out by Germany on the opening night, while Finland was bested by Australia on the same day. Sunday night’s game offered redemption for one side and the opportunity to keep their campaign alive. Given Germany defeated Australia earlier in the night, the loser of this match would be unable to advance to the second round.

It was a game of ebbs and flows, as each side had their periods of dominance, starting with Japan in the opening quarter. The host nation was looking to push the pace of the game and score as quickly as possible. This resulted in a seven-point lead at quarter time for Japan, which did not last long.

The second term belonged to Finland, exploding on both ends of the court as Japan struggled to maintain the same output. The Finnish led by 10 at the main break, and kept the margin the same heading into the last. However, Japan stormed home in the final term en route to a 98-88 triumph.

The performance of Hawkinson was massive in the context of the game, getting his hands dirty and doing what needed to be done for Japan to get the win.

Japan (98) def. Finland (88)

Joshua Hawkinson – 28 points, 19 rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block

Hawkinson was a force to be reckoned with in the paint, proving too much for the opposition bigs to handle as he led his side to victory.

His 28 points was the highest points total of any player on the court, producing over a quarter of his team’s total score for the match.

He did his best work in pick and roll situations, combining with Japan’s guards to draw in a double team to the ball handler and cut to the hoop where he was able to finish uncontested a lot of the time.

Hawkinson’s deft touch around the hoop meant he could finish slightly away from the basket, with his floater game unmatched as he generated plenty of offence from this method.

Much of his work was done at the free throw line, forcing Finland’s defenders to foul the big man on his drives to the hoop to prevent a guaranteed basket. From the charity stripe, Hawkinson went a near-perfect 14/15, many of which came in a crucial time in the match.

He was also the game’s leading rebounder with 19 boards, including 15 on the defensive end. Finland went through some cold shooting stretches, and Hawkinson made sure his side got first hands on the ball in another important factor in the match.

Hawkinson was rightly named player of the match for his performance, keeping Japan alive and setting up a blockbuster clash against Australia on Tuesday night.