Sport & Design Blog: live from Tokyo, Japan!
Friday Inspiration: Mali, Stand Up!
It’s Friday! Crank it up...Here’s a fresh new video released by our friend Mokobe, the legendary MC/performer from le Quai 54 tournament in Paris.
From the video’s press release:
"Mali debout" (Mali stand up) is a song written by Mokobe French Malian artist in order to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Mali's Independance (September 22nd, 2010) but it's also a tribute to the Malian diaspora all around the world and how everyone loves Africa...
Rise, Mali. We’re with you, Mokobe!
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Hoop dreaming: NBA's next big (or little) ticket?
August 21 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
NBA hopeful Yuta Tabuse of the JBL’s Tochigi Brex
Japan is ‘hoop dreaming’ more and more these days. The energy around basketball here in Tokyo is growing, and the excitement level is definitely rising-- from streetball all the way to the pro leagues. So what will it take for J-hoops stars to break through in the NBA? That question has been seriously played out around here, but outside Japan, who cares? Do NBA teams (and NBA Commissioner David Stern) look at us and wonder when we’ll find a way to step up and get our act together? Europe, Africa, South America, China...Iran......Japan? What’s the hold up? Seriously, what is it? One thing we know for sure, its not all about size. Pooh Jeter can attest to that. He’s a hard-working 5’11” point guard who just got signed with the Kings this summer. Inspiration for all Japan hoop dreamers out there. You really can make it...but how?
UNITED WE RISE
Perhaps the unification of the JBL and bj league in the coming years will help get more Japanese prospects into the media, and into the conversation for NBA scouts. Or not. We’ve got to grab the world’s attention and change perceptions about Japanese basketball. If and when the spotlight begins to shift toward Japan, we also need to have the ability to back it up. And how do we get our players ready for that?
We found an article yesterday from veteran sportswriter Fred Varcoe, which discusses some points about the nature of the beast: why Japanese hoop dreamers can’t breakthrough in the NBA. In the article, Tochigi Brex skills coach Mike Olson explains how some of his players have enough talent to make it, but something’s missing. The article hints that players need to start young and go attend university overseas. Sounds like a good idea, but try convincing a coach at a top university in Japan to send his team’s best player to the NCAAs and you’ll probably get a respectful “no thanks.”
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
We’ve got an idea about what that missing link might be, and we’ve been working to address it with our Rising Suns project these past couple of years at Quai 54 in Paris. Communication. Intercultural Communication, and lots of it. The NBA is all about marketing, and marketability of its players. If Tabuse was good at distributing the ball and getting everyone involved in the game, he needed to also be even better at giving interviews in English after the game. Unless your name is Yao and you’re a beast in the lane, Japan’s hoop dreamers of the future are going to have to break through with a ‘communications style’ that will sell tickets. It’s not MLB where you are up on the pitcher’s mound and reading sign language from your catcher, or doing interviews after the game with an interpreter. The NBA is a fast-paced, hands-on game where you’ve got to be in the flow, communicating on the fly, talking to refs, pumping up the crowd, engaging the audience. If Japan can learn to communicate better, both on and off the court, we might have the NBA’s next big (or little) ticket.
Get those communication skills up, and we’ll be talking to Mr. Stern soon enough.
Dennis Rodman's Last Game...EVER?
August 19 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Dennis Rodman's Street 2 Elite 2010 tour is in Japan right now and everyone's buzzing to see The Worm's final run (according to Rodman’s twitter account yesterday, this will probably be his last time on the court).
S2E also features Ex-NBA veteran Tracy Murray and a bunch of stars from the old And1 tours-- now playing by the name of Ball Up. Don't forget, we've also got a few Rising Suns in the mix. From RS2009 team (M21) and RS2010 team (K-TA) will be there, along with several of our RS player pool members. All of the guys will be playing as part of an All-Star team from the Japanese streetball league Somecity.
Great to see some of our guys who didn't make it to Paris get the chance to showcase their skills on the big stage. It should be a nice honor to represent Japan against Rodman's squad. Hope Japan can hold it down and keep it competitive. Keep Rodman under 20 rebounds (and just try not to get posterized!)... Keep rising, Japan.
For info about the Street 2 Elite tour, tickets, etc. Go to www.street2elite.jp
The tour is organized by And1 and Sports Biz Japan.
Darin Maki in Los Angeles @ Staples!
D-Mak or D-Fish???
Rising Suns 2010 team leader Darin Satoshi Maki aka ‘Tru Ninja’ usually spends his off-seasons in LA-- working out, trying to perfect his game (read the full interview). In a recent blog post on darinsatoshimaki.com, Darin talks about his goal of emulating Lakers’ point guard Derek Fisher with his style of play. His stroke in this year’s Quai 54/Foot Locker Three-point Shootout, where finished just one shot away from the finals, would have made D-Fish proud.
So when Darin’s new team, the Tokyo Apache of Japan’s bj league, were invited to conduct a special walkthrough of the venue at the one and only home of the LA Lakers-- Staples Center, you know Darin was there. While Apache management looked to pick up some pointers about running their league games in Japan, D-Mak had a private workout under the lights at Staples. Any sighting of D-Fish in the hallways? From what we heard, he wasn’t around, but maybe we’ll get a chance to catch up with D-Fish another day. NBA All Star 2011 in LA?? Workin’ on it...
Here’s the Apache’s report (with some nice pics) just released yesterday. Looking forward to seeing some exciting home games this season here in Tokyo, and some clutch fourth quarter shooting ala D-fish!
Hope 81 Interview with Tru Ninja!
Darin Satoshi Maki the Tru Ninja himself... (bottom right side) sneakin’ up on CP3 during the Quai 54 tourney.
Here’s a special interview with our Rising Suns team leader Darin Satoshi Maki, who talks about his experiences at Quai 54, life in the offseason, and his big return to the Tokyo Apache this year. Thanks for working on this with us, D-MAK!
How was Paris? How did it feel to represent Japan? Are you ready to lead the Rising Suns' back to Quai 54 with a stronger team next year?
Paris was an awesome experience! I knew going into the tournament that these cats could really play, if you know basketball then you know what the QUAI 54 is all about. It was the first time I actually repped Japan and it felt pretty cool, people didn't know we could ball out here. I repped USA before back in the day but something about repping your motherland is different, even if it was only a streetball tourney. Going out to Paris, I knew it was going to be a tough tournament for us to advance. We were going up against a lot of pro and national team players so my goal was to play hard and make a statement. I had this notion that peeps thought that our team was the best we had in Japan... Let me just say, no way! we got some cats that can really play! For next year, if I can help select players for the Japan team, I think we can really make a splash. Really looking forward to playing next year in the Jordan sponsored, biggest streetball tournament in the world, QUAI 54.
What have you been up to lately in LA, and how do you work on your game in the offseason? Venice Beach? Westwood/UCLA runs? Weightroom? Got any secrets you mind sharing with our young Rising Suns out there?
Since I've been back in L.A, I have been doing the usual stuff, training and keeping in touch with all my peoples. This time of the year is really special for me because I get to see my family and friends. It is also a crucial time of the year to work on your game. I have been in the gym working on my strength and basketball skills with some of my best friends, who also happen to play pro as well. Just a couple of the guys and a trainer, get in and get out. People always ask, "where you playin ball at?" Well to tell you the truth I don't get as much 5 on 5 action during the summer. One thing is I do not want to get injured, and also I like to focus on skill work and the little stuff. NO BAD HABITS! So I am sorry to break your hearts about this big myth that we all ball together during the summer at a secret location, BUT...when all the pro and college cats get together you know we get it in lol.
Do I have any advice for the young, future superstars out there? I say work on your skills as much as possible and add a little something to your arsenal every off-season. Don't play ball just to play ball either. I know we all love the game but you must practice with a purpose. You can play pick-up ball 5 hours a day and pick up more bad habits than the guy who goes an hour and a half hard on his skillwork. Everybody is athletic, can run and jump right? Maybe the next guy just a little bit more than you, so what is going to set yourself apart from him? The guy who plays in front of you? Outworking him. Put in the work and the results will show, don't expect quick results because there are none. Everytime you are lazy, imagine your opponent shooting 1000 jump shots, running hills,etc. You gotta be hungry.
TYO! You recently got signed by the Tokyo Apache, which is YOUR old neighborhood (and OUR Hope 81 hood, too). How did you get the deal done? And are you excited to play under new Apache coach Bob Hill?
It feels great to be back with the Tokyo Apache. I had a busy off-season as a free agent and wanted to find a team before I came back to L.A for the summer. There were a few teams interested and I had turned down a GREAT offer from another team. One thing is, I had unfinished business to take care of. I have been to the BJ-League finals twice and lost while a member of the Apache. It still stings to this day and I feel we have a great chance to get back to the finals and take the whole thing. What intrigued me was the new ownership of the team and the new coach. Evolution Capital Management, an American company, had purchased the team and from my early talks with them, I knew they were going to steer this team in the right direction. Having coach Bob Hill sign on was just as big, he is a seasoned NBA coach who brings immediate clout to our team and league. I worked out with him and his staff last month in Dallas and he is legit! From the first day to the last day, I already saw huge improvements in all our games, imagine what he can do in 1 season?
I am very excited about the forthcoming season, if you want to see what I'm up to, follow me on twitter and check out my homepage.
www.twitter.com/BELLOBLOCK
www.darinsatoshimaki.com
1ove, D-MAK
Who's #1 in Tokyo? Streetball Tournament
July 30 2010 Filed in: Hope 81
All Day Streetball Tournament (Tokyo)
07.31 ~ 08.1.2010
Summer basketball in Tokyo, Japan! 56 teams getting ready to fight for the 23rd All Day championship this weekend. We’ve got a few of our Rising Suns in the tournament, guys like RS2010 team captain Shuji Takei (a.k.a. ST) with team Underdog, and Keita Suzuki (K-TA) with F Squad. We’ll be cheering for a bunch of guys from our Rising Suns player pool as well, all going for the championship with their local club teams. And hey, there’s also a “Cat Fight” girls streetball tournament going on. The girls’ teams have really started to hold it down lately, so we’re looking forward to watching those games for sure! Good luck to all the teams, and get that W.
For more info about team registration, videos, etc., go to the All Day site
Keep rising, Japan!
Rising Suns in the News: Japan Times
July 23 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Here’s an excerpt from ‘Hoops Scoop’ writer Ed Odeven’s story about basketball player development in the Japan Times today...thanks, Ed! (And don’t be confused by the title of the article...we’re just spreading love for the game. Hope 81 has no religious mission, affiliations, etc.)
Friday, July 23, 2010
BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Players spread gospel in summertime
By ED ODEVEN
Staff writer
...Overseas basketball trips are another aspect of a sport with no true off-season. Darin Satoshi Maki, formerly of the Tokyo Apache and Oita HeatDevils, stayed busy last month while suiting up for the Rising Suns, a streetball team organized by Hope 81, a nonprofit grassroots organization involved in "basketball development, global poverty relief and environmental sustainability," according to its Web site.
The capable floor leader, one of the top defensive guards in the five-year history of the bj-league, played for the Rising Suns in the Quai 54 streetball tournament in Paris.
"Maki was definitely attracting a lot of attention during our trip to Paris, knocking down shot after shot in the 3-point point shootout — finishing just one point away from the finals — then called on to help Quai 54 Dunk Contest Champion Guy Dupuy for his final dunk attempt, and being selected as a featured interview for the official Quai 54 DVD," said Jason Hutson, an American expatriate who serves as a Rising Suns player, coach and organizer. "I think this experience helped him gain some visibility, especially outside Japan."
Hutson also believes Maki, a free agent, would be a welcome addition for a bj-league club in the immediate future.
"As a top point guard in Asia over the past 10 years in China, Japan and Vietnam, the 'Tru Ninja' definitely has a lot to offer teams in the bj-league, especially those looking for veteran leadership and someone who can control the ball, set the tempo, etc.," said Hutson. "He's a 'Derek Fisher' kind of player, someone who doesn't turn the ball over and can knock down clutch shots.
"Now after Paris, the challenge is to make sure people know about his efforts (for us in Paris) here in Japan. . ."
The Rising Suns' 2010 squad also featured center Antoine Broxsie, who led the bj-league in blocked shots last season while playing for the Takamatsu Five Arrows, and Apache forward Kenji Hilke.
Check out the complete article in the Japan Times. And follow Ed Odeven’s Hoop Scoop column, to keep up with all the latest news in the Japanese pro leagues.
New Quai 54 2010 Trailer: Jordan Outdoor Video
July 22 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Check out the new Quai 54 2010 video on Jordan Outdoor, with our guy Darin Maki a.k.a. Tru Ninja-- representing the Rising Suns 2010 squad!
A lot of the footage in the clip is shot by videographer/basketball film documentarist Kevin Couliau, who we got to know during our practice game with George Eddy in Paris. Thanks for all your hard work, and helping us get Japan on the basketball map!
RS2010: Game Day @ Quai 54!
July 12 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Legendary dunker Kadour Ziani (SLAM NATION/ZIANIMAL) backstage with Quai 54 staff
Finally, some footage from our Game Day at Palais de Tokyo, under the shadows of the Eiffel Tower. In this new video clip, check out some exclusive interviews with dunk/performance legend Kadour Ziani, French hoops star Ali Traorè, Chris Paul going one-on-one with a Quai 54 referee, 3-point shootout with Rising Suns’ Tru Ninja, and much more...
Big thanks to Hammadoun Sidibè and all his crew at Quai 54 for giving our Rising Suns this opportunity to get to know so many great superstars in the game of basketball. Hopefully with a taste of this top-level international basketball tournament (and soaking up the atmosphere from all of our ‘behind the scenes’ experiences as well), it will be the inspiration Japan needs to start rising up. The first step is obviously to get our first win at Quai 54. That day will come, no doubt. Still rising!
RS2010
ジェイソン
RS2010: More video from PAris!
July 05 2010 Filed in: Rising Suns | Hope 81
RS2010 Team Captain Shuji Takei aka ST, holding up his new Quai 54 jersey after orientation 6.25.2010
Here’s more behind-the-scenes video highlights of our recent trip to Paris, including some clips from our Team Dinner Party in St. Germain, practice with French hoops legend George Eddy, and the orientation session at Palais de Tokyo, where we received our shoes and jerseys-- the night before the tournament. Check out the video on our RS blog!
RS2010@QUAI 54: Full Recap
July 04 2010 Filed in: Rising Suns | Hope 81
The Rising Suns 2010 journey started about a year ago, all culminating with a one-week visit to the Quai 54 International Streetball Championships (June 21-29) in Paris, France. For our Rising Suns du Japon, the experience was awesome, challenging, difficult, heart-breaking, amazing, inspiring, and then some. Here’s a full recap of how it went down, with Rising Suns team organizer Jason Hutson’s inside views of the entire trip-- from start to finish:
Day 1: Travel to Paris
Still running around trying to get our funds in order, came up short on the fundraising and sponsorship-- not quite as bad as last year though... Anyways, looks like I will have to extend my credit limit and make sure we have enough money to survive the week. Running to the train station with 50lb bags and five minutes before my express train to Narita. Why am I always doing this?? I like the feeling of pressure situations, I guess. At the airport the team is all there waiting for me, and we fly out of gate 81. Hey, 81, that's us! Japan's country code and our organization-- Hope 81. Destiny for the Rising Suns du Japon! We have a stopover in Hong Kong, the team goes crazy when they see a Muji store... Last chance to buy Japanese snacks before we arrive in Paris.
Day 2: Welcome to Courbevoie
Yace meets us at the airport, and Antoine is with him already when he finds us. Big relief to see our 6'11" center there in Paris, ready to play. No missed flights, no lost baggage, everybody ready. Here we go! Ride in the Quai 54 van to our hotel in the north side of Paris called Courbevoie. It's right down the Seine river from the old Quai 54 court @ Levallois. Beautiful morning, we walk around the neighborhood, find a bakery and everybody buys some pan au chocolat. Antoine's excited about eating crepes while he's here.
Later, we walk along the river to Levallois court and try to get loose. Some of our guys play pickup. The pro guys don't want to play outdoors so they watch from the sidelines. One of our players leaves without letting me know first, which is frustrating since we don't get a chance to walk through our plays. We wrap things up and walk over to Yace's neighborhood in Genevilliers for kebab sandwiches and pizza for dinner on the patio. Play ball till 9:30pm, sunset dinner at 10:30pm, this is summer in Paris!
Day 3: Challenge Day
We have our first breakfast meeting, most of the players show up, talk about our week ahead, and try to see how the players are feeling. Jump on a bus and head to Stade Coubertin, a pro gym in Paris where we are supposed to have our first real practice run together. This is really key for us to start building our chemistry, especially since we couldn't go over our plays yesterday at Levallois...continue reading >>> permalink
RS2010: Behind the Scenes in PAris!
June 30 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Olyouri Video, filming our RS2010 player interviews on the hillside in front of Montmartre
Just getting back to Tokyo after some really incredible days in Paris with our Rising Suns 2010 team. Despite losing our first round matchup against Belgium, we tried to make the most of our trip. Lots of walking, walking, and more walking. Cafes, street corners, bread shops, bus rides, river views, Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, Moulin Rouge, Palais de Tokyo, Notre Dame, Louvre, and much much more. Sport can be an avenue for cultural exchange, and that’s exactly what our Rising Suns team entry @ Quai 54 is all about: building new connections/opportunities/communication/etc., through the game of basketball.
For a look at how our players spent their time off the court, check the new RS2010: Behind the Scenes in Paris video on our team blog.
ジェイソン
RS2010
Rising Suns du Japon vs. Belgium Duke All-Stars
June 27 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Earlier tonight, our Rising Suns du Japon lost against Belgium’s Duke All-Stars by the final score of 37-24. I don’t really have the energy to write very much at the moment, so I’ll let the pictures above tell the story. All I can say is that it’s been an incredible run -- bringing our Japanese players all the way back to Paris for another chance at Quai 54. We couldn’t have made the journey without our Hope 81 volunteer members and local community sponsors. Thank you to all who supported our dream. Yes, we are rising. We’ve got plenty of things to work on, as soon as we get back.
More videos and live updates from Paris coming soon...
(and yes, that is Chris Paul playing one-on-one against a 13-year old referee...the same kid who was in charge of the calls in our game...wow)
ジェイソン
RS2010
RS2010: Tru Ninja vs. George Eddy! (H-O-R-S-E)
June 26 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
One more update before the 8th edition of Quai 54 tomorrow, when our Rising Suns du Japon will hit the court vs. Belgium’s Duke All-Stars...
Today, as we were wrapping up our final Rising Suns team workout at a pro gym in Paris, RS2010 Point Guard Darin Maki a.k.a. Tru Ninja went up against European hoops legend/NBA commentator George Eddy (pictured above with our team, left) for a friendly game of H-O-R-S-E. Watch the video on our RS blog, and towards the end you’ll hear George admit “okay, this is getting serious!” And that’s something not even NBA champion point guard Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs could do when they played against each other a while back (actually Tony couldn’t get a single letter!). Eventually the King took all of our guys down, one-by-one. Not enough time to show every game on the video, but I’m sure you can imagine how it went. Now if I could just find a way to convince George to be an honorary coach for us tomorrow at Quai 54... It would be great to have his court savvy and old school knowledge of the game, to help us get that first win. Either way, thanks for challenging our guys and giving us a final tune-up before the tournament, George!
Rising, and believing in something bigger than ourselves.
ジェイソン
RS2010
RS2010 Journey to Quai 54: Levallois
June 24 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
RS2010 Journey to Quai 54 continues: first workout at legendary street court in Paris, Levallois
Any big dream starts at the bottom, and people make it rise. With heart and determination, those individuals do what they have to do to make the dream work. A perfect example is Hammadoun Sidibè and his Quai 54 organizers, who are now entering their 8th year of hosting this premier Jordan-brand event. They’ve been growing the dream bigger and bigger each year since the original days-- back at the court in Levallois. On our first day here in Paris, it was fitting that we hit the old Levallois court for our first walkthrough with the Rising Suns 2010 team (see the latest video on the RS blog). Then we got a special look at the new Quai 54 venue yesterday: Palais de Tokyo. Its an unbelievable spot along the Seine, and underneath the shadows of the Eiffel tower. You know we’ll be giving you some behind-the-scenes video of that ASAP.
Now about the team, it was our hope and our original plan by arriving in Paris early, that we would be able to settle in and focus on winning our first game this weekend. As the organizer, I’m working hard with our team coordinator Yace to get everyone mentally/physically prepared for our battle. Its not too surprising, we’ve hit a few roadblocks with our daily itinerary, lack of gym time for practice, etc. This is all part of the team-building process, I guess. Overcoming hardships and adversity together, and keeping the focus on our goal: Japan’s first win at Quai 54.
Rising, because we love this game (and because we have no choice!)
ジェイソン
RS2010
RS2010 Journey to Quai 54: LIVE UPDATE!
June 22 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Rising Suns 2010 have arrived! Happy to report ***LIVE from PARIS/Coubervoise/92: no lost baggage, no problems, everyone is here, healthy and ready to go... Now I’m going to update the Risingsuns.jp blog with as much live video from our experience as possible this week. Here’s part one, showing our transit across the globe-- from Narita to Hong Kong, into Charles de Gaulle this morning. So far so good. Love the breakfast here. Heading to play some ball at Quai 54’s original homecourt, Levallois, in a minute. Just a quick walk from our hotel, down the Seine River. Gotta love it!
Time to get loose,
ジェイソン
RS2010
Rising Suns, Represent Japan: DAY 21
June 21 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Hope 81 presents: RS2010 @ QUAI 54
Palais De Tokyo (Paris, France)
June 26-27
As we prepare to make our journey to the Quai 54 International Streetball Championships, I just had one more thing to do before heading off to Narita: a special email interview session with Reverse Magazine/basketsession.com. Here’s a look at part of the interview, and check the Basketsession homepage for the complete version coming soon! We will also try to have some live updates from Paris this week, on our Rising Suns team blog: www.risingsuns.jp
Rising Suns, Represent Japan! 日本代表
What reminisce you keep from your first trip at Quai 54 ?
Probably what I remember most about our first run at Quai 54 was the leadership from our team captain, Shuji Takei a.k.a. ST. He was great all throughout the months leading up to the tournament in Tokyo, pushing our guys and making sure we had some chemistry going into our trip to Paris. In our big first round matchup vs. Le Revele, it was ST, our team leader, who carried us right from the start. He showed so much heart and desire to win, and his 3-point shooting kept us in the game. I was excited (and honestly a little surprised) to see our Rising Suns were only down 19-15 at halftime, and maybe the fans were surprised too!? Even though we eventually got pounded in the second half (38-20), it was encouraging to see ST get the post-game interview. Representing Japan like that on the big stage at Quai 54...I think the image of ST during the post-game interview -- a Japanese baller standing up there and having the courage to speak to everyone in English -- that memory will stay with me forever. He really helped us make an impact. Now, I just hope we can get that interview on the winning side, this year.
You're coming back. Does it mean you loved it or is it to show another face ?
You know we loved the trip to Quai 54 last year. Its an epic event, and something only a few teams from around the world get the opportunity to experience. A once-in-a-lifetime chance for Japanese ballers. I always say to my team, this is our World Cup. This is our Olympics. This is the highest level of the game. And of course, we're coming back to try and win at least ONE game this year, so we want to bring a new look/new face with our Rising Suns 2010 squad as well. We spent the year rebuilding from ground zero, and now our team will have a great mix of veteran players/up-and-coming stars in Japan's street and pro game.
I heard you're coming with a surprise who is one of the top point guard in the country. Can you tell us more about that ?
Darin Maki a.k.a. Tru Ninja has been playing professional ball for the past 10 years in Asia, most recently in Japan's "BJ League" as captain/floor general of the Tokyo Apache and Oita Heat Devils. He was a key member with the Apache during their reign as Eastern Conference champs (2007-2009), under the coaching of Joe Bryant. At only 5'9", Maki has made a name for himself with his explosiveness (Adidas slam dunk champ in 2002/China), and solid leadership at the point (All-Japan Defense, First Team 07-08; Apache/Oita, Team Captain, 2006-2010). The Tru Ninja brings a reputation as a strong attacker, which I think the crowd might get into when they see a smaller guy breaking down his opponents with pure hard work and determination. I don't know anyone more determined than Darin. That's why he's going to be running the PG spot for the Rising Suns this year.
How prepared are you this year for this second appearance ? What are the main changes ?
We are much more prepared this year, compared with last year. First of all, we started getting ready for Quai 54 2010 immediately after returning home last summer. We put together a series of tryouts, recruiting trips around Japan, weekly training sessions, practice games, all to get ready and come back stronger with our RS2010 team. The big change this year will be that we are coming with improvements down low (Antoine Broxsie, 210cm + Kenji Hilke, 197cm).
Broxsie is the BJ League's leading shot blocker and rebounder, playing with the Takamatsu Five Arrows. Hilke is originally from the Japanese "Far East Ballers" street team, having played in Kingdom/W.4th street tournaments (NYC) and is now playing pro with the Tokyo Apache. Last year, we had basically no low-post presence to run our offense with, and at the defensive end, all we could do was foul. I think this year we should be able to bring a solid defensive attack and rebound the ball with more authority. That will be the most important change for us to get our first win. We can find a rhythm at both ends, and just play our game.
If I remember, Rising Suns is composed of players from different team. How do you build the chemistry ?
Getting players to make that initial commitment to play at Quai 54 has been difficult, first, because the tournament is relatively new to Japanese ballers, and teams are concerned about injuries, missed practice time, etc. So its a little bit too risky for some teams to consider letting their players participate in. But as we continue to build our network and communicate the value of this trip for Japanese basketball as a whole (increasing exposure and visibility, helping J Hoops rise through international competition), players are starting to come around and want to run with us.
The final player selection for our 2010 Rising Suns roster was made just one month ago. Many of the guys had already played together on pro and club teams in Japan, which made the chemistry and team-building a little easier to grow. A few of the guys are playing together for the first time, but they come from a strong background of organized basketball (NCAA, Pro) so they are very coachable and are able to pick up our offensive/defensive sets quickly. Basically this group will have been together for about a month by the time we get on the court at Palais De Tokyo, June 26th. We've had four exhibition games in Tokyo (4-0), and will have a few days of workouts and practice games in Paris in the week leading up to Quai 54. Altogether, we should have some nice momentum going into our first round game.
Coming all the way long from Japan is a huge cost. How do you succeed to bring such a group in Paris ?
We've been struggling with the cost of airline tickets more than anything this year. The price of flights from Tokyo to Paris have doubled since last year, and we wanted to bring a full squad of 10 players, so that meant I had to step up our fundraising efforts and try to rally a few more local sponsors to pay for the project. My nonprofit organization, Hope 81 (www.hope81.org) is thankful for all the local community support we've received this year. Unfortunately we haven't yet reached our fundraising goal, so I will pay for the remaining costs (hotel, food, daily expenses) from my own personal funds. Whatever it takes, right?
Anyways, I think having a grassroots network for funding and financial support makes our Rising Suns team stronger, and gives us an extra lift knowing that our local community is behind us as we play against the top teams in the world. I like to remind our players that we need to start believing in something bigger than ourselves if we want to win in Paris. This challenge is not about individuals, its about us (the team, the community, the country). If we can see the big picture, start to play with that motivation, and hopefully get our first win...it will be money well spent. Win or lose, this is an investment in something bigger than simply a group of guys going to Paris to play a game. I can definitely live with that.
What is the Schedule of Rising Suns this summer ?
We have received an invitation to play in a new international tournament to be held at the end of July, in Spain. The roster and agreement is still being finalized right now, so I can't say too much about it yet. But we are excited about the possibility of representing Japan twice at international competitions this summer. Back-to-back trips to Europe will be a great challenge for us, and the invitation is especially good for my organization because the costs will all be paid for by the tournament organizers. Thanks to Hammadoun and Quai 54 for putting the Rising Suns into the spotlight last year, we were able to receive this invitation. The experience has helped us get some much needed attention from the basketball world. Now its our job to battle for a win. Whatever happens, the dream is alive and Japanese basketball is rising. Thanks 'Doun!
Building Momentum: DAY 20
June 20 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
RS2010 vs. NYC scrimmage game (Yoyogi)
We had our 4th and final practice game today...another win for the Rising Suns 2010 squad, so we're a perfect 4-0 right now going into our trip to Quai 54. We're still trying to get our players into the flow offensively before we get on the plane tomorrow, but I think the team is starting to click much better than we were just a few weeks ago. And with the four wins, it's good to know we have the kind of killer instinct to get the job done. Whether it's against one of Japan's top club teams or a local pick-up game, our Rising Suns are focused on one thing right now: winning. And its great to see we're building some strong momentum -- exactly at the right time.
Tomorrow we'll be taking an early evening flight so I told the guys they might want to hit the gym before they go to the airport, keep themselves in prime shape before a long travel day. I'm excited to see what we can do with this year's team. How we handle the next five days of going on the road, time changes, adjustments to new environments, food, language, etc. is going to be crucial for us, as a team. Can we keep a strong mindset, and carry this momentum into Quai 54 with all our players healthy, confident in each other, trusting each other, and knowing we can win our first round matchup -- no matter who the opponent is? I guess it goes back to one of my earlier posts from ‘Day 3’, about think power. We are now getting closer and closer to believing. As a coach, I’m happy to see that more than anything right now.
Rising Suns, 4-0! Here we go!
ジェイソン
RS2010
Rising Suns in Paris (schedule): DAY 19
June 19 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Finally got a basic schedule mapped out for our upcoming trip to Paris next week. Really looking forward to this journey with everyone on our team, and excited about all the things we’re going to see and do throughout the week -- both on and off the court. For most of our guys, this will be their first trip to France (and first time in Europe) so I know its going to be a week they’ll never forget.
Here’s the overview, and once again, we’re still in need of some last-minute donations and/or sponsorship to pay for general expenses in Paris (hotel, food, player insurance, etc.). If anyone is interested in supporting our team, please let me know!
*****************************************************
RS2010 @ QUAI 54 in PARIS!
Monday (6.21): Team Travel from Narita to Paris (NRT-CDG)
***
Tuesday (6.22): Airport-pickup, hotel check-in, lunch, light run @ Levallois, dinner
***
Wednesday (6.23): Breakfast/team meeting 9:00AM, Workout@George Eddy 11:30-2:00PM, Lunch, Paris, Dinner
***
Thursday (6.24): Breakfast/team meeting 9:00AM, Workout@Japan/Italy/Spain 3-team scrimmage?, Lunch, Paris, Team Dinner w/ Kurosaki-san in St. Germain
***
Friday (6.25): Breakfast/team meeting 9:00AM, Workout@George Eddy 11:30-2:00PM, Lunch, Paris, Meet Hammadoun @ Palais de Tokyo for Q.54 orientation, Dinner
***
Saturday/Sunday (6.26, 6.27): Le Quai 54, schedule TBA
***
Monday (6.28): Breakfast/team meeting 9:00AM, Louvre Museum, Lunch, Paris, Dinner
***
Tuesday (6.29): Breakfast/team meeting 9:00AM, Departure (CDG-NRT)
*****************************************************
Rising...whatever you do, don’t forget your passports on Monday!! And bring your game.
ジェイソン
RS2010
Bring the 'Game 7' Intensity: DAY 18
June 18 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Photo: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times
I don’t care who you were rooting for during today’s game, the bottom line is the same: Game 7’s are the ultimate test. The Los Angeles Lakers took a pounding all night from the Boston Celtics in an intense NBA Finals showdown between the two greatest franchises in League history. Both teams worked their butts off all night as if their lives depended on it. After being down by as many as 13 points in the 3rd quarter, the Lakers kept grinding it out and stayed in the game. Their star player Kobe Bryant struggled at the offensive end, so they had to look to their other key players (especially Pau Gasol and Ron Artest) to keep them going. Role players. Role players. Role players. By the final buzzer, the keys to the Lakers’ heroic Game 7 comeback victory were team defense, rebounding and hustle. Plain and simple.
This kind of all-out challenge for a Game 7 win in the NBA Finals is really inspiring to me personally, just as much as it was back in 1987-88 when I watched the Lakers fight for back-to-back championships. I’m still a die hard fan, and still fight with everything I’ve got to reach my goals in life. But this is important to me now, not just because I’m a lifetime Laker fan and love to see the purple and gold win. Right now, this is exactly what our RS2010 squad needs to bring in our FIRST game at Quai 54 next weekend. Game 7 intensity!!!
Don't save anything for the second round...there might not be one. Don't hold anything back... we need everything you've got. I'm trying to work on this in practice, asking the guys to play with that sense of urgency for the entire game -- no matter who we’re scrimmaging against. No mental breakdowns. No saving it for later. No fear. No holding back. Our game 1 in Paris is a game 7...
Rising, for a championship.
ジェイソン
RS2010
Fundraising challenge: DAY 17
June 17 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
******Hope 81 fundraising goal for 2010 Rising Suns team******
1,500,000 yen
Total funds raised (as of 6.16.2010):
1,100,000 yen
The good news: I’m happy to report that we’ve almost tripled our fundraising totals from last year, so things are going well for Hope 81-- thanks to our local sponsors and community supporters. The bad: now we are in crunch-time, with our players set to leave for France next Monday, and still in need of an additional 400,000 yen. To briefly explain the situation, here’s what we are dealing with at the moment:
When it came time to purchase the flights for our RS2010 players, we were expecting a similar rate to that which we received last year (or perhaps slightly higher/lower). We checked with dozens of travel agencies, group rates, standbys, multiple stops, everything you can imagine, and eventually we had to settle for the standard fare. To our surprise, the cost for our team to visit Paris (per person) nearly doubled from last year! Clearly not the best news in the world for a volunteer/nonprofit organization which is still building its financial base and relying almost entirely on the Founder’s empty pockets. It’s my choice to put it all on the line, and I love where this choice has brought our team and the organization itself...but I’ve used every yen to my name and we are in serious need of help.
Okay, so all that being said, we’ve made it this far and we’re certainly not turning back. I just wanted to take this time to reach out one last time before we go, and ask for a little extra assistance from someone out there. Perhaps someone interested in Asian/Japanese basketball development. Or someone who just loves the game, period, and would enjoy seeing our Rising Suns realize their dreams of winning a world championship at Quai 54. For the game, for Japan, for Asia, for something bigger than ourselves...here’s your chance to help.
Please contact us today if you would like to contribute as a private donor or company sponsor. We’d love to hear from you!
Rising, no matter what.
Hope 81 Founder
RS2010 Organizer/Coach/Player
Jason Hutson
ジェイソン ハトソン
From 81 to the "92 Easy": DAY 15
June 15 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Tokyo-Paris Connection, Yace/HMN
Yace La Menace is our Rising Suns team coordinator in Paris. He is the reason we got the introduction to Quai 54 in the first place. If you are wondering, The Menace got his name for breaking down his opponents on the basketball court-- frustrating them with an arsenal of spin moves, crossovers, no-look passes, which hopefully we'll get to see more of this summer when he plays with our RS2010 team at Quai 54. Going to be great to have him running with us this year!
Outside of basketball, Yace has a fashion/design company called Hype Means Nothing, based in Paris. They are starting to grow worldwide with their signature t-shirt line (see pictured above), and recently began some local distribution here in Tokyo at Laforet/Harajuku, Midtown/Roppongi and a few other boutiques. Find out more on their HMN blog.
Yace has also helped get our Rising Suns documentary going by connecting us with his longtime neighborhood friend and filmmaker Youri Fatianoff. Check out the Olyouri collection of music videos and more, featuring local artists like Barbak leDemoniak and Adek Dark’S, all representing the 92 EZ = an original neighborhood crew from the 92 district of Paris, Genevilliers.
It's always good to have some family over there in Paris, to help get to know the culture and keep us out of trouble. Hanging with Yace, Youri, Barbak, Adek and all the 92 EZ will definitley be an experience our Japanese players will never forget. We’re looking forward to meeting up with you soon.
From the 81 to the 92...here we come!! Rising.
ジェイソン
RS2010
RS2010 Official Party (+Fundraiser) recap: DAY 14
June 14 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
RS2010 OFFICIAL PARTY (+ FUNDRAISER)
@SMOKE
6.13.2010
Recap
Great turnout for our big Rising Suns 2010 party last night at Smoke! Altogether we had 100 guests show up. Thanks to you all, Hope 81 raised over 120,000 yen to help pay for our team’s upcoming trip to Paris. During the party, we introduced the Rising Suns members with a special “Draft Night” ceremony. Players were called up in front of the crowd to receive their official Rising Suns uniforms. This was definitely a proud moment for me, personally, as player/coach/organizer. To see all of our team up there, standing strong together as one unit. I think the party helped us grow closer as friends and teammates, while having some fun with our supporters, great deejays (Haraguchic and Masa) and all of Kurosaki-san’s crew at Smoke/Tokyo Design Flow.
After the player introductions, we had a special duo performance from I-BEAR and ZineZ a.k.a. Kamikaze (check the video below, you gotta see these guys tearing it up!!)...
We’re still looking to raise another 380,000 yen over the next seven days, but I’m energized more than ever from the party... and all the love we received from our Tokyo community has got me ready for one last run before we go. At the end of the night, many people (old friends and new faces) were kind enough to drop a few extra yen in our donation box on their way out. For one thing, this kind of grassroots support really helps us move closer to our fundraising goals. At the same time, it makes the Rising Suns a community-sponsored Japanese National Team. I love the sound of that. Working with the heart and soul of our community. Email us today if you’d like to help Japanese basketball rise! Hope 81/RS2010 is searching for a few more sponsors or private donors, so please let us know.
日本代表... and you know we will.
ジェイソン
RS2010
Meet RS2010 Sponsor "Gallery-2": DAY 13
June 13 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Just getting back from the RS2010 Official Party + Fundraiser we put on earlier tonight in Harajuku. We saw lots of good friends, family, community sponsors and supporters come out to help our team get to Paris. It was awesome to see you all there. I’ll be writing a report on that tomorrow...
Tonight, we gave everyone a first look at our new uniforms (see pic above), thanks to RS2010 sponsor Gallery-2 Sporting Goods. The shop manager, Obata-san, is a long-time friend of our Hope 81 projects. He first began helping out with donations of Gallery-2’s out-of-season jerseys/uniforms/shorts/old stock/etc., which we then delivered to Papua New Guinea schoolchildren. And when we sent a small group of Youth Sports Ambassadors to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Obata-san and Gallery-2 were there for us again -- providing custom jerseys for our players.
Since 2009, we’ve been going back to Obata for help with all our jerseys and team uniforms for the Rising Suns projects, making sure our players are fitted up with the latest (and freshest) gear. Based in the heart of Shibuya, Gallery-2 has been doing this stuff for years. Pretty much every junior high/high school player, local club team member or streetballer in Tokyo’s basketball community knows Gallery-2 is the place to go...especially for their big seasonal sales.
As you can see in the picture, this year we’re representing the authentic, original Japanese sportswear brand Mizuno. Now this is looking like a true 日本代表 team, right? Of course, its more than just having the logo. We’ve still got to bring our game to Quai 54 (not just our name!). But at the end of the day, local community support and sponsorship from Japanese brands is going to be really key for us to keep growing the dream. And Obata-san/Gallery-2 made it happen for us once again, this year. Thank you for helping us RISE!!
Now its back to work this week for more practice games, scrimmages and workouts. Seven more days to go!
ジェイソン
RS2010
Meet the RS2010 日本代表 team: DAY 12
June 12 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Here’s a look at our RS2010 team, and some music from our friend Barbak in Paris. Represent the 92 Ezee. All the players will be suited up and ready for our official RS2010 Party (+ Fundraiser) tomorrow night in Harajuku, featuring some fresh hiphop deejays, a world champion freestyle performer, and more. Hope to see everyone there!
Rising...
ジェイソン
RS2010
'Uprising' for J-Hoops: DAY 11
June 11 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
We had our first scrimmage last night against a great local club team Giga Spirits. Before the game, I talked briefly with Giga’s head coach, Koyama-san. Really nice guy, and very kind of him to arrange a game for us before we hit Paris. Like the Rising Suns, his team is working on grassroots player development for Japanese hoops. And from what I hear, Giga Spirits have been holding down as the #1 team in Kanagawa for a while. Here’s a look at how we handled our first RS2010 exhibition game:
- The Giga three-point attack had us on our heels most of the first half. We found ourselves down by double-digits at one point.
- Before the game, I reminded our Rising Suns that it was our first chance to run as a team, and that the offense might not come yet. The main things we could do as a team were to play strong defense and rebound the basketball. And that’s exactly what we did.
- We forced 20 turnovers, and out-rebounded our smaller opponents, 40-20.
- To hang tough, and battle back against a quality team like that was a positive way to start things off.
- I know we wont see a team shoot 30 threes in a game in Paris, but at least we tested our will to win last night, and got to know each other a lot more.
After the game, I was thinking about the work Koyama-san is doing with Giga Spirits, and all the other local clubs running a similar kind of system for basketball player development here in Japan. There’s dozens (or hundreds?) of clubs, groups, teams, organizations, companies, agencies, media etc. all looking to grow basketball in Japan. Here’s some of the one’s which I’ve gotten to know and work with personally...in no particular order:
ALL DAY
SOMECITY
LEGENDS
HOOP IN THE HOOD
GYMRATS
8 LEAGUE
JAPAN SPORTS REVOLUTION (JSR)
HOOP HYSTERIA
FIVE STAR
NKS-405
FOR GAME
JAPAN BASKETBALL ACADEMY
BALL TONGUE CAFE
ED ODEVEN/JAPAN TIMES
I honestly believe this could be the structure of a new uprising in J-Hoops. With so many people organizing for action on all different levels, the next step is now for our Rising Suns team to get the win in Paris -- and then bring the global spotlight to focus on Japan’s rising basketball culture. This journey to Paris is for all J-players, streetballers, kids at the park, NBA dreamers, coaches, scouts, agents, league officials,JABBA federation heads, and Mr. Aso himself. The UPRISING is here and we’re not going away quietly...so let us know if you’d like to collaborate, from wherever you are.
Tonight, I’ll be heading down to the Somecity event Da Bash! in Kawasaki/Club Citta, to watch a few of our guys (Lono, Micky, K-TA and Kenji) represent the RS2010 squad against some local street teams. Then tomorrow, Rising Suns team captain ST will return to his old neighborhood for the Legends Stage 3 streetball event. Support the team, and support the community. Should be a fun weekend. Altogether, we are the Uprising.
***Remember: this Sunday night 6/13 @ Smoke in Harajuku, we will hold our annual party for the Rising Suns team trip to Paris. Please come have fun, and help us raise the remaining funds we need to get there***
ジェイソン
RS2010
Meet RS2010 Sponsor "P-one Clinic": DAY 10
June 10 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
RS2009 TEAM in Paris with legendary player/commentator George Eddy (center)
and Marlon of SLAM NATION (right)
Our first trip to Paris last year couldn’t have been possible without the generous support provided by a local clinical trials research center in Tokyo, P-one Clinic, Medical Corp. And once again, P-one Clinic is sponsoring our RS2010 journey to Quai 54 this year. Thanks to P-one and all our local community sponsors, Japanese basketball is on the rise...
We first made the connection with P-one Clinic thanks to an introduction by our Hope 81 Business Advisor, Kuniyoshi Hirai. His long-time friend and colleague, Dr. Kenichi Furihata, is the Head Doctor/Board Chairman at P-one Clinic. He is also a member of Rotary. Just prior to my graduation from the Rotary World Peace Fellowship program last June here in Tokyo, I proposed to Dr. Furihata an idea of promoting cultural exchange across borders -- through our Rising Suns Player Development program (Tokyo-Paris). This was a natural fit with the goals of his clinic, which is currently starting up a ‘Global Studies’ division and looking to promote new drug development through cross-cultural research.
It’s great to be moving forward with everyone at P-one, promoting health, wellness, and medical research for a better world! Let’s hope our players don’t have to visit the clinic after battling with the big teams in Paris!! It’s going to be one of the hardest challenges we’ll ever face on the court, that’s for sure. What doesn’t kill us will only make us stronger...
Gotta love it! Thanks for giving us this opportunity of a lifetime, P-one.
ジェイソン
RS2010
RS2010 Player Selection: DAY 9
June 09 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
It's already Day 9 of the blog and I still haven't spent much time introducing our Rising Suns 2010 日本代表 National Team. In the next few days, I promise I will get around to it.
To be honest, we've been busy getting everything straightened out concerning our players' commitment to travel with the team to Paris. It's a big leap for a lot of these guys. With Quai 54 being relatively new to Asia, asking people to go into something they don’t know too much about is pretty risky, and not a welcome idea in Japanese culture -- generally speaking. And for the pro players on this year's squad, we had to make sure everything was solid with season contracts, tryouts and negotiations for next year, etc.
It's not as easy as some might think, to rally a team of Japan's top players and get them all signed and ready for a tournament half way around the world. Here's a little video clip of my adventure around Tokyo last week, pushing to get all our players to sign the “RS2010 General Agreement” before we purchased the team’s airplane tickets to Quai 54.
It was a rush (that's why you see guys signing on street corners) but eventually we got everything together before the deadline. That's all that counts. We’ll be in the air before we know it! Rising...
First team scrimmage tomorrow against Yokohama club team Giga Spirits.
ジェイソン
RS2010
To be honest, we've been busy getting everything straightened out concerning our players' commitment to travel with the team to Paris. It's a big leap for a lot of these guys. With Quai 54 being relatively new to Asia, asking people to go into something they don’t know too much about is pretty risky, and not a welcome idea in Japanese culture -- generally speaking. And for the pro players on this year's squad, we had to make sure everything was solid with season contracts, tryouts and negotiations for next year, etc.
It's not as easy as some might think, to rally a team of Japan's top players and get them all signed and ready for a tournament half way around the world. Here's a little video clip of my adventure around Tokyo last week, pushing to get all our players to sign the “RS2010 General Agreement” before we purchased the team’s airplane tickets to Quai 54.
It was a rush (that's why you see guys signing on street corners) but eventually we got everything together before the deadline. That's all that counts. We’ll be in the air before we know it! Rising...
First team scrimmage tomorrow against Yokohama club team Giga Spirits.
ジェイソン
RS2010
Meet QUAI 54 founder Hammadoun Sidibè: DAY 8
June 08 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
The legacy of Levallois is growing...
This year, the 8th edition of Quai 54 is moving to an epic new venue, bringing the top 16 teams in the world to a spot called Palais de Tokyo. The Rising Suns du Japon in the Palais de Tokyo? Wait... what?! Not sure what the name stands for exactly, possibly a museum? but I like it...of course. Our players' eyes lit up when they saw the new Quai 54 poster. Maybe we can use that to pump up the team even more. Not in our house!
Not in our Palais!!
Quai 54とは？
Even after making some noise with our first entry in Quai 54 last year (media, interviews, etc.) I think a lot of people here in Japan are still wondering what the event is all about. Language and cultural barriers may have something to do with it. Anyways, I really wish we could get some subtitles in Japanese for this video. If you haven't seen it yet, here's a clip of our very first meeting with tournament founder, Hammadoun Sidibè. The cafe was a little bit dark for the video, but try to listen to his words. By the end, you will understand why Quai 54 is the one and only Jordan-sponsored international hoops tournament in the world.
Hammadoun a.k.a. ‘Doun knows how to build a legacy, how to become legendary, and all that. He talks about playing with heart, and what players need to win in Quai 54. His tournament slogan reminds all the players who come to Paris each year: Bring Your Game, Not Your Name. I guess since Japan doesn't really have a name in the basketball world yet (except for maybe Tabuse?), all we can do is bring our game. For the guys on our RS2010 team, its simple: we just need to play fundamentally strong basketball, and bring all the hustle and intensity we possibly can for 24 minutes.
Its great to be coming back for a second chance, and we're bringing our A-game, 'Doun!
Rising...
ジェイソン
RS2010
Meet RS2010 Sponsor "Kubota": DAY 7
June 07 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Daku Nishiyama, Kubota Beauty College graduate (2010) and Hope 81 creative advisor
Check the Kubota homepage (in Japanese) for more info about their 60 years of work in Tokyo’s beauty and styling industries. We’d like to say a BIG THANKS to everyone at Kubota for helping our team get to Paris again this year, and congratulations on your 60th Anniversary! Looking forward to another great year of community projects with Kubota and Hope 81.
ジェイソン
RS2010
Legendary Coach, John Wooden: DAY 5
June 05 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Photo: www.achievement.org
Photo: www.woodencourse.com
I was planning to write more about our Rising Suns road to Paris today. Then I got the news about the passing of John Wooden, a coaching legend and basketball god. He was 99 years old. An awesome life, an amazing Coach...
I imagine his words were echoed by pretty much every youth/high school coach across the USA at some point in the season, written on locker room walls before practice, and pondered by players on long bus rides home -- after losing a tough game on the road. I had the rare chance to practice in Pauley Pavilion once, with my high school team. Walking into the gym, I remember feeling some goose bumps that day because of all the tradition that Wooden had built over the years with Kareem, Walton and the gang. And I will never forget meeting my lifelong hero Magic Johnson that day either... unbelievable. Hanging on the sidelines with Magic at the house that Wooden built. Really a dream come true.
Now what did Coach Wooden think about Japanese basketball development? I’m sure someone asked him that question at least once during his lifetime, digging for some secrets to success from the coaching master. I haven’t googled it yet, but I guess Coach Wooden would say the best way to grow better basketball skills in a country where size and power are lacking is to work with what you’ve got, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes."
Wooden’s words are pointing to the underlying challenge for all J-Hoops players, coaches, federation officials, and even the fans themselves: Can Japanese youth athletes go ahead and take some risks when they first start learning the game, try something new, find a creative ‘go-to’ move, or better yet, shock the world by playing with instinct rather than following old traditions of run-run-run and pass-pass-pass?? And by that, I mean can coaches, family and surrounding community members stand behind those youth players 100% when they go out on that limb to learn the game a different way (or shall I say, the ‘Wooden’ way)?
Japan needs to encourage kids to become ‘doers’ and if that means making a few mistakes, or taking a few risks to become better players, then Coach Wooden might have the answer for Japan’s ongoing search for why it can’t break through at the international level of competition. More risks, more mistakes! It sounds strange, and even counter-intuitive to Japanese Basketball Federation ears, but we’re not worried about them right now. Its all about grassroots. Our Rising Suns are taking risks by playing across borders, working with international players and coaches, and traveling half-way around the world to show the world we are not afraid to make mistakes. Win or lose, we’re making a statement with this team. I can only hope Coach Wooden would see our team battle for a championship in Paris, from whatever realm he is in now, and shout some words to motivate our guys.
ジェイソン
RS2010
Introducing the 2010 Rising Suns: DAY 4
June 04 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Here’s a quick look at our 2010 Rising Suns 日本代表 team roster, which returns to Paris this June for a chance to battle for a world championship at the Quai 54 2010 Edition:
Guards
Shuji Takei a.k.a. ST
RS Team Captain
PG/SG, 178cm, 75kg
*********************************
Darin S. Maki a.k.a. Tru Ninja
PG, 175cm, 75kg
*********************************
Yuya Kitamura a.k.a. The Jet
SG, 180cm, 75kg
*********************************
Keita Suzuki a.k.a. K-TA
SG, 180cm, 80kg
*********************************
Yace a.k.a. La Menace
SG/SF, 193cm, 90kg
*********************************
Forwards
Jason Hutson
RS Team Organizer/Player/Coach
SF, 194cm, 90kg
*********************************
Mikiya Fukuda a.k.a. Micky
SF, 191cm, 86kg
*********************************
Kenji Hilke
SF/PF, 198cm, 93kg
*********************************
Lono Brazil III
SF/PF, 194cm, 82kg
*********************************
Center
Antoine Broxsie
C, 210cm, 116kg
*********************************
Assistant Coach
Strength & Conditioning
Thierry Manga
S.T.B. Bern, National League B (Switzerland)
Junior Basketball and Rising Stars Coach/ Strength & Conditioning/ Supporting under 17 Player Development
*********************************
With this year's squad, every position from top to bottom has some sort of international playing experience. Team captain ST returns to lead the Rising Suns back to Quai 54, after his gutsy 11-point performance last year and a trip to play professionally in Peru. Journeyman Antoine Broxsie from the BJ League (Takamatsu Five Arrows) led the league in blocks this season, was third in rebounds at 13+ a game, and gives us a nice low-post presence to build around. Darin Maki also brings some solid veteran leadership at the point, so that should help cut down our mental mistakes/turnovers that we struggled with last year. If we can get that number of 20 down to around 10 TOs or less, we should have a chance to win.
Something we paid attention to when making the final player selection was that every member on the RS2010 team has enough ability in Japanese and English to communicate in either language -- on the fly. It should bring our team together, on and off the court, and hopefully make the journey a lot of fun. We're going to be around each other 24/7 in Paris, so I think it will make our daily routine much easier to deal with.
This RS2010 squad is an international team from Japan, and one like the world has never seen. I know at the national level, Japan hasn’t been willing or able to put together a team like ours to represent at international tournaments, world championships, and the Olympics. Its a pretty rigid system of bi-laws and politicking, check the full commentary on this matter just published today from Ed Odeven/The Japan Times here. Perhaps the only way to deal with all of this is...to RISE. From the grassroots, UP.
Okay, that’s enough for DAY 4. Looking forward to getting to know our players over the next few weeks, figuring out each of their roles, and seeing what they can bring to the team to help us win. Still rising...
ジェイソン
RS2010
Think Power: DAY 3
June 03 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Pump it up, Japan! It’s now or never.
The official QUAI 54 qualifiers are set for June 20th. Check your calendars, ballers...that’s only a couple of weeks away. I’m sure the top teams in Paris are all hungry for a chance to represent at this year’s 2010 edition. Its definitely going to be an epic event, the world’s strongest teams battling it out, and plenty of big surprises from Hammadoun’s crew -- as always. The energy is going to be hot! And who knows, we might get matched up with one of those hungry teams from the qualifiers in the FIRST round. Whoever it is, we’ve got to be mentally prepared.
Today, I was talking with some of our guys at practice about how to fight through the tough times. Especially right now -- not having everyone from our team there, and not feeling the chemistry just yet. All we can do at this point is just take care of ourselves. Push, train, work hard, get stronger, stay focused. It really makes no difference whether we have only two guys at practice, or twelve. Here’s the bottom line: are YOU taking care of business and doing what you have to do to help the team win in Paris? Worrying about the other guys who aren’t showing up will only break us down even more. This is the mental side of the game that we’ve got to figure out. Mind training, visualization, ala Phil Jackson. Think that you are going to make the right play, and see yourself as a champion. Think that your teammates are going to do the same.
I love this concept of think power that led the Bulls to those championships back in the 90’s.
Our Rising Suns lack size at some positions (not all of them, like last year). Nevertheless, if we think we are strong enough to win, and believe with all our hearts and minds that our teammates are going to do whatever it takes to get the job done, then we will be on our way. How we train our minds is equally as important as how we train our bodies in the gym, weight room, or whatever. If this team can get past that feeling of “Can we win in Paris?” and start thinking, AS A TEAM, that we have the power to win anywhere, anytime, its going to be an awesome run for a championship...
I know that’s a bold statement, but there’s no other way to think right now. Think power. Think power.
Think power.
Let’s go, RS2010.
ジェイソン
The Rising Story: DAY 2
June 02 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
RS2009: On the world’s stage...
Hope 81 launched the first Rising Suns project in the spring of 2009, after a meeting with Hammadoun Sidibe (founder of the Quai 54 International Streetball Championships). That special meeting was arranged by French pro baller Yace la Menace, originally from the old neighborhood where Quai 54 first started: Genevilliers/Levallois. Yace was someone I had met and played hoops with in Tokyo, and we often talked about how to help Japanese basketball rise up. We had a similar vision, and when I finally sat down with him and Hammadoun at a small cafe in Paris, I vowed that my organization would do whatever we had to do to bring a team from Japan, and represent Asia at this premier Jordan-brand event.
After putting together a last-minute squad for the 2009 edition of Quai 54, we made the journey with a few of Japan's top players, including a mix of guys from the JBL/bj league, and others from a local street league called Legends.
We lost our first game 38-20, but impressed the crowd enough with our first half-attack (led by team captain ST) and got the invitation from Hammadoun to bring a team back to Quai 54 in 2010.
From there, Hope 81 began growing the project into a bigger 'player development' program for all-Japan. We felt that we needed to open up the team and make it possible for anyone to join, and by doing so, give more hope to Japanese youth players. A series of tryouts and recruiting trips around Tokyo and Osaka helped us establish our player pool. From that group of 15-20 players, we selected three lucky members to help us represent in Paris, along with another member who had returned from playing university ball in the States, five pro players, and myself.
The concept: help Japanese basketball player development at the grassroots level.
The management team: we have a core group of members including Shuji Takei (team captain), Thierry Manga (assistant coach), Akihiro Sakai (trainer), Shunsuke Iwamoto (media/communications), and me, Jason Hutson (player/coach/organizer). I will try to introduce each one of our players and management team over the next few weeks.
For now, that should be enough to give you an idea of the Rising Suns concept, who we are, and how we do it.
Day by day, rising to the top...
ジェイソン
RS2010 Player/Coach/Organizer
Jason Hutson
Rising Suns 2010: DAY 1
June 01 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
RS2009 TEAM @ QUAI 54, thanks to Bounce Mag for the photo!
Last year’s final score: 38-20 (L).
That was then, this is now...
Japan’s Rising Suns are heading back to Paris for a second chance.
Something I often remind our guys is that we were only losing 19-15 at halftime, hanging tough with probably the second best team in France. And we were playing against 7-footers basically without any post defense. Everyone knew we were going to have issues with our low-post game/lack of a true big man. Tallest guy last year was me (left) and Takaku Jun from the Tochigi Brex (right) at 6’5”? By the end of the game, we were getting blown out and had about 20 turnovers in 24 minutes. So handling the ball under pressure and eliminating careless turnovers is an area we can definitely work on this year. And of course, hit our FREE THROWS.
Now, we are coming back bigger, stronger, and much more experienced (especially at the guard and center positions). More about our team roster in the next few days I hope...still waiting to get all our player profile stuff in order.
Over the next three weeks of preparation, I’m going to try and write a daily journal here on the blog. The focus will be to look at our team developments, progress, pitfalls (hopefully not too many of them to report), exhibition games, player roles and leadership, local sponsorship and support, and everything else that we need in order to compete with the top teams in the world.
I know we can rise to the challenge with this year’s squad. No doubt in my mind. Still trying to figure out how to make the players BELIEVE they can win in Paris...
The challenge is also to make sure everyone believes in each other, no matter what the rest of the world thinks about Japanese basketball being too small or too weak to win at the highest level.
10 players.
1 goal.
Yes we can...
(Please become a fan!)
RS2010 Player/Coach/Organizer
Jason Hutson
RS2010 Tryout #3/Player Pool INFO
May 12 2010 Filed in: Rising Suns | Hope 81
Report from RS2010 3rd Tryouts (5/4/2010):
Over the past several months, we’ve held multiple tryouts and made recruiting trips to various gyms, club teams, tournaments, etc. (in Tokyo and Osaka). The purpose was to give as many aspiring street and pro ballers in Japan a chance to get involved in this year’s trip to Paris, for the QUAI 54 International Streetball Championship. Our team motto is Represent, Japan (日本代表) so we really wanted to be true to those words. It hasn’t been easy, but we’re still growing and the process has been a lot of fun so far!
After completing the first two rounds of tryouts, it all came down to this. Despite the fact that we held the final round of tryouts during Japan’s Golden Week spring holidays, the turnout was awesome. We definitely got a look at some of the best of the best in Tokyo streetball. From ten new players at the first tryouts back in November ’09, to twenty new members at the second round in February, and an additional ten new members last week...its good to see Japan stepping up for the chance to represent @ QUAI 54. The RS 2010 Player Pool is now set at 15-20 of Japan’s young, up-and-coming ballers. Player selection will be made at the end of the month. Stay tuned for more!
For all the pics from the 3rd tryout, please visit our RS2010 Team Blog
RS2010: Countdown!
May 01 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Japan, are you ready for this? R-I-S-I-N-G...
It’s almost time. The moment of truth is here. Bring the spirit, the passion, the hustle, and determination. Bring the energy to challenge the best teams in the world. Battle for a championship with the Rising Suns this summer in Paris. National team members, pro players, street legends: this is THE premier showcase tournament, sponsored by none other than Michael Jordan.
With only a few more days until our 3rd and FINAL tryout for the Rising Suns 2010 日本代表 team, we found this article in the Japan Times today. It features an interview with NBA-hopeful/Tochigi Brex star point guard Yuta Tabuse, who talks about the value and importance of gaining exposure to the international game. (Alright Mr. Tabuse...We’ve got the chance for you! Let us know if you’re interested in joining our team, and gaining the ultimate exposure at this legendary international basketball event. Who knows, maybe a great performance in Paris will be your chance to show NBA & Euroleague scouts that you have what it takes?)
From Japan Times (4/30/2010):
“Brex's Tabuse not ready to give up dream of making return to NBA”
By Kazu Nagatsuka
...Tabuse added that other Japanese talents shouldn't be shy about leaving their native country and testing their skills overseas.
"If there are opportunities, they should actively go," he said. "I believe that they can improve their individual skills and then they will know what they're lacking. Unless you take that action, you don't get that."
If Japanese players are looking to gain experience against the best players in the world, then THIS is your chance! There’s still time for you to join next week’s tryouts, so let us know if you’re ready to make the journey to QUAI 54 this summer. Remember: this is YOUR chance of a lifetime.
日本代表
Rising Suns: Represent, Japan!
It’s almost time. The moment of truth is here. Bring the spirit, the passion, the hustle, and determination. Bring the energy to challenge the best teams in the world. Battle for a championship with the Rising Suns this summer in Paris. National team members, pro players, street legends: this is THE premier showcase tournament, sponsored by none other than Michael Jordan.
With only a few more days until our 3rd and FINAL tryout for the Rising Suns 2010 日本代表 team, we found this article in the Japan Times today. It features an interview with NBA-hopeful/Tochigi Brex star point guard Yuta Tabuse, who talks about the value and importance of gaining exposure to the international game. (Alright Mr. Tabuse...We’ve got the chance for you! Let us know if you’re interested in joining our team, and gaining the ultimate exposure at this legendary international basketball event. Who knows, maybe a great performance in Paris will be your chance to show NBA & Euroleague scouts that you have what it takes?)
From Japan Times (4/30/2010):
“Brex's Tabuse not ready to give up dream of making return to NBA”
By Kazu Nagatsuka
...Tabuse added that other Japanese talents shouldn't be shy about leaving their native country and testing their skills overseas.
"If there are opportunities, they should actively go," he said. "I believe that they can improve their individual skills and then they will know what they're lacking. Unless you take that action, you don't get that."
If Japanese players are looking to gain experience against the best players in the world, then THIS is your chance! There’s still time for you to join next week’s tryouts, so let us know if you’re ready to make the journey to QUAI 54 this summer. Remember: this is YOUR chance of a lifetime.
日本代表
Rising Suns: Represent, Japan!
RS2010 Scouting @ Nike "All Day" Streetball Tournament (Tokyo)
April 28 2010 Filed in: Rising Suns
FINAL ROUND @ Yoyogi Park (4/25): Underdog vs. Da Crew
This past weekend, we were out at the Nike-sponsored All Day streetball tournament in Tokyo, supporting several current members of our Rising Suns 日本代表 Player Pool (each member playing for their individual club teams). In total, there were about 40-50 teams from all different skill levels, mens and womens brackets, and all playing for the love of the game. Not to mention, a free pair of shoes for the winners.
Throughout the two-day/single-elimination event, we were on the lookout for a few last-minute recruits to help represent Japan at the QUAI 54 International Streetball Championship in Paris. Here’s how it all went down, and a few things that caught our attention:
First, we found out that our Rising Suns post players need a lot more work. Our bigs were out-muscled and eliminated in the early rounds, and then had to watch from the sidelines the rest of the way. Not a good feeling...and you know we were back in the gym working hard, the very same day. Losing tastes bad. It makes you want to work harder. RISE UP! End of story.
We did find some quality big-man talent on a team called the OGN All-Stars, which is mostly former Chuo University players (and historically big in the post), and one player recently signing with the Takamatsu Five Arrows of the BJ League. The two teams from Nagoya were big, too (and much bigger than their opponents), but both failed to get out of the early rounds after going down by double-digits and never recovering. Two teams from the Yokota/ Yokosuka military bases had strong lineups with fresh players (fresh, as in their first time to ever play in the tournament, and strong). They each made it deep into the quarterfinals and semi-finals, but went down after mental mistakes and turnovers late in the games. Da Crew (which has two of our player pool members) battled hard with two consecutive overtime comebacks to get to the finals vs. Underdog. When they got there, they just didn’t have anything left in the tank to get the win. Not to mention, Underdog played ferocious D, as the dogs they are. They scratched/clawed/bit/barked their way to another All Day championship.
One final observation: having an unusually large lineup of tall, lanky players at almost every position (and one member in our player pool, as well as a former Rising Suns 2009 team member/JBL player), Underdog creates mismatches for most teams and is always tough to handle. Could it be a sign of Japanese basketball -- at the grassroots level-- moving towards a bigger, more physical game? Looking back at the teams who played in the tournament five years ago, back when All Day first started, basically none of the Japanese teams were able to bring that physical/aggressive kind of game. The teams we see now are definitely bigger, stronger, and holding their own against teams with big foreign players like Yokosuka/Yakota, Nagoya and Da Crew. Japan still has a long way to go, but at least its something to build upon.
That’s about it. Don’t forget, we are counting down to the 3rd and final tryout for our Rising Suns team.
If you think you’ve got the game, come battle it out next week!
See the Rising Suns blog for more info about time and place, etc.
For more on the Nike All Day Tournament, check the official homepage (in Japanese)
Rising Suns Tryout#2: Report
March 11 2010 Filed in: Rising Suns
Now that we’ve reached the mid-way point of our 2010 Rising Suns campaign, this is a good opportunity to stop and reflect a bit on how our team is shaping up...
If you want to skip ahead to the Japanese/日本語 report (with more pictures) go to our Rising Suns team blog.
First of all, just to comment on a few things about building a Japanese national team representation:
Our returning team captain Shuji Takei (ST) has continued to provide Hope 81 with awesome leadership and his professionalism, dedication and commitment have been great to build around. ST represents our team values 100%, on and off the court. Running team workouts, keeping up communication between the players and our Rising Suns management (in English and Japanese), and working tirelessly to build a stronger team for 2010. It seems he truly understands the significance of this opportunity to represent Japan on the world stage in Paris -- having played last year and experiencing the magnitude of QUAI 54 first-hand. Perhaps others haven’t realized it yet, but this could be the biggest chance many of our local Japanese players will see in their lifetime. Its time to step up and represent, Japan! This is your chance.
As for tryouts, our 2nd round was held here in Tokyo last month, and the turnout we had was very encouraging. Here are a few things to grow from:
1) We doubled the number of participants from our 1st round of tryouts back in November, so we’re definitely happy that more people are beginning to understand what the Rising Suns player development program is all about.
2) It was great to have some of Tokyo’s toughest players come out and earn their chance to represent Japan @ QUAI 54 in Paris. Guys that we’ve been watching in local street leagues like Legends or Somecity, and players from local club teams. We know they can play, but now they’ve got to show us the heart and hustle, and battle for a spot on the team. This is what its all about...skills development. Nobody said it would be easy!
3) With our RS2010 ‘Player Pool’ system, players selected from the tryouts will be given a chance to participate in weekly workouts, special training sessions, exhibition games, etc. and prove that they deserve a spot on our RS2010 日本代表 squad. *Those players have already been notified, so now its time to run.
The countdown has begun...we’ve got a little less than four months to go until the QUAI 54 2010 International Streetball Championships. The excitement is growing and we’re getting pumped for our second visit to Paris! Its time to shift into overdrive, and push beyond expectations. This is our chance. Our challenge. Our championship.
Life, Basketball and Japan
March 02 2010 Filed in: Rising Suns | Hope 81
When I speak about Hope 81, people often ask me why Japan? To me, its sort of a no-brainer. I love my life here! But I guess the idea of a guy from California launching a nonprofit organization in Japan might seem a bit out-of-the-ordinary (or intriguing) to some, so the question deserves a better answer than that. Sometimes my answer turns into a long story of academic discourse, overlapping with personal anecdotes and so many twists and turns. I wish I had a 30-second version. Trust me -- I’m working on it. For now, here’s a special blog entry to give you a better idea.
Continue reading >>>
More than a Game
February 18 2010 Filed in: Hope 81
Watch this trailer about Lebron James and his rise to the top of the basketball world. Well, almost...he’s still waiting to get that first championship ring in the NBA, but no doubt he’ll get there one day. The documentary looks at the game of basketball as a way to move up through adversity, and build positive relationships in life, family, business, and everything else. Many of us have been inspired to work toward a better life from a basic passion for the game. In that sense, the movie really hits home on many levels. Basketball is part of the inspiration behind Hope 81, as well.
Now we know that playing professional basketball is a common dream for kids all over the world. And we know many of our young players here in Japan are fighting to reach the top. What the world may not realize is that basketball is one of, if not the most popular sports in Japan. The media here doesn’t make a big deal about it though, unfortunately. Basketball is one of the most heavily played and least heavily watched Japanese sports. Maybe one easy solution is to do more grassroots videos and utilize social media to promote Japan’s hoop scene. The Clutch Times online news source is doing its part to promote the sport, and guys like Ed Odeven at the Japan Times are doing theirs, day in and day out. But maybe we need a 24-hour hoops channel, streaming all access footage, interviews, and just pumping up the game, period. Pushing players to reach for their dreams, because if anything, they will know someone is watching and their performance matters. Lebron and his high school team were being watched by ESPN, Sports Illustrated, NBA scouts, at 17 years old...and look how they responded.
I guess in order to have that kind of ‘media push’ on real TV, it will take a breakthrough Japanese player dominant enough to stick in the NBA. Watching this movie should just make Japanese players hungrier for that moment of their own, shouldn’t it? This summer, we’ll have a chance to show the world how hungry our 2010 Rising Suns team members are, at the QUAI 54 International Streetball Championships in Paris.
And don’t forget, we’ve got our own story going here in Tokyo.
Look out for our complete RS2009 documentary DVD, available this spring!
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