Matt Aquino enjoying Japan basketball team training

MANILA, Philippines – When Matthew Aquino arrived at the Ajinomoto National Training Center in the Kita ward of Tokyo last Tuesday to join the national basketball team training pool, he exclaimed his feeling in one word: “Ganda!”

The sprawling almost 30,000-meter National Training Center includes the Japan Institute of Sports Sciences, two indoor training centers, indoor tennis courts, an outdoor track and field and athletics venue, and the athlete’s village.

The training area for the Japanese national basketball team is located on the second floor of the indoor training center west and has two official-sized courts. The weights room is on the first floor.

“We finished our first couple of training sessions that includes weights,” related the 25-year old Aquino, who was invited to join Japan’s national training team pool last weekend. Aquino carries a Japanese passport due to his mother being half-Japanese. 

There were initially more than 50 players included in Japan’s training pool. That number has been pared down to 24 this past weekend, with the 6’9” Aquino included in the list.

Japan is currently coached by American mentor Tom Hovasse, who suited up for two matches with the Atlanta Hawks during the 1994-95 season and was teammates with Mookie Blaylock, Steve Smith, Stacey Augmon, Tyrone Corbin, Craig Ehlo and Ennis Whatley — who was a part of the San Miguel Beermen’s Grand Slam Team of 1989 (he suited up for Presto Tivoli the next year). 

Hovasse guided the Japan women’s basketball team to a silver medal finish in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

The 12-man Japan team will be named next week when they take on powerhouse China on Saturday, November 27, in a FIBA World Cup Qualifying Match. The match will be played at the Xebio Arena Sendai, home court to the Sendai 89ers of the Japan B. League.

“The coaches introduced the system they want us to run and having teammates who speak English helped me get into the flow of things,” added Matthew. “The interaction between me and my new teammates has been great.”

“Even with the Shinshu Brave Warriors, it was easy to acclimatize myself because everyone — including the imports — are very helpful. I guess, it is also because of the culture here in Japan where people are nice, polite and helpful.”

Among Aquino’s Brave Warriors teammates in the national pool is 6’2” shooting guard Yuta Okada, who Matthew described as “talented and very professional.”