In the final seconds of the first of Japan’s two games against New Zealand in the Mitsui Fudosan Cup, which the team used as a warm-up for the 2024 Olympics, Asami Yoshida thrilled the crowd with a behind-the-back pass to Evelyn Mawuli, who nailed a jumper to complete a 125-57 victory on Wednesday night. In the second game on Saturday, Yoshida cut in and then fired a pinpoint pass to Yuki Miyazawa, who nailed a buzzer-beating corner 3-pointer in a 92-50 victory.
With her exceptional field vision and gift for passing, the veteran outfielder has a game as colorful as her hair, which is currently platinum blonde but has also been dyed blue and pink this year.
She is back in the national team program for the first time in nearly four years – after coming out of retirement for the second time – to play as a veteran leader and playmaker off the bench for Akatsuki Japan at the Paris Olympics, which begin later this month.
