JOHOR BAHRU, Malaysia (21st FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women): Yunika Nakamura is the currently most accomplished junior player in the women’s section. Less than a year ago, the Shibata Girls HS youngster played a stellar role in leading Japan to their second successive gold medal at the 2nd FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Women at Jinan (China).

And come this summer, Nakamura was at the forefront of the campaign yet again, as the team went on an unprecedented blitzkrieg making the semifinals of the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship for Women in Amsterdam (The Netherlands).

Scoring in double digits in all but one of the eight games – against Australia, Japan having already assured of their position for the play-offs fielded their bench for the better part of the game and Nakamura was on court for only 5 minutes – the 177-cm power forward went on to finish with an average of 17.8 points per game, the second best for the entire competition.

Such a performance propelled Nakamura to the headlines almost every day and at the end of the competition, she was named to the All Star line-up for the event along with teammate Evelyn Mawuli.

Mawuli will not be present at 21st FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women – the reasons for her absence not clear yet – therefore Nakamura’s responsibility are doubled.

There will be a lot of interest the progress Nakamura will achieve at 21st FIBA Asia U18 Championship for Women!

FIBA Asia