Playoff Defeat in Berlin
Japan's women's basketball team was eliminated from the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup after an 84-63 defeat to Hungary in the quarterfinal playoff held in Berlin on Tuesday. The game determined which team would advance to face the United States in the quarterfinals.[S1]
Japan, ranked 10th in the world and third in Group A, faced Hungary, ranked 19th and second in Group B. Japan fell behind early but managed to rally in the second quarter, narrowing the gap before halftime.[S1]
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Injury and Second-Half Struggles
Shooting guard Saki Hayashi was limited by a right arm injury, reducing Japan's effectiveness from three-point range. Without her usual threat, Japan struggled to keep pace as Hungary pulled away after the break.[S1]
Point guard Kokoro Tanaka led Japan with 11 points, while Norika Konno and Mai Yamamoto each contributed 9 points. Despite their efforts, Japan could not overcome Hungary's decisive second-half performance.[S1]
