In the second game of day three at the 2019 Women’s U25 World Championship, hosts Thailand came up against Japan.

Again, it was a learning experience for the Thailand team, who for some have only been playing a short time, with the pressure defense and chair skills of the Japanese proving too much for them in the first half as they went scoreless, 0-33.

Despite the difference of standard between the two teams, the host team did not give up and continued to fight throughout the second half, but the baskets would just not drop and they lost the second half 4-14, the final score ending 4-47.

Japanese Head Coach Sayaka Yamasaki, said, “The game went well. I believe all our players tried really hard and they put all their efforts in the game.”

Commenting on their quarter-final match-up with Germany tomorrow, she said, “We have been working on our strategy for the quarter-finals and been preparing it over the past few games, and we have been practising it so far, so we hope that everything we have done will come together and we utilise what we have done so far in the games. I ask all the players to enjoy and play very hard.

“There are three main reasons why I am enjoying the tournament so far; the first is for some of our players it has been their first experience of international competition, so it’s great to see them learning and improving. The second is the atmosphere, the sportshall is good and the hotel is nice and we are enjoying our time in Thailand. The third one is that day-by-day the team is getting closer and becoming one, working together and as a team we are improving.”

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THAILAND V JAPAN