Even his personal Nebraska teammates take a look at Keisei Tominaga and suppose he simply does not look that athletic.Then the 6-foot-2, 179-pound guard from Japan will get a basketball in his hand or steps foot on a court docket.Watch out.Tominaga is referred to because the “Japanese Steph Curry” for his 3-point taking pictures that bears greater than a passing resemblance to that of the four-time NBA champ and for the enjoyment and swagger the guard performs with — dribbling the ball between his legs or round his again. He leads the eighth-seeded Huskers in opposition to Texas A&M on Friday within the opening spherical of the NCAA Tournament within the South Region.Video above: ‘Tominaga takeover’ helps Nebraska defeat Michigan It’s why followers again in Japan shall be watching intently Friday, even with a 14-hour time distinction.”He’s sort of a star over there, I heard,” guard Brice Williams stated.Tominaga attracts simply as a lot consideration on the court docket. He leads Nebraska, averaging 14.9 factors a recreation this season and had a career-best 31 factors in an time beyond regulation loss at Illinois on Feb. 4.Forward Rienk Mast stated it is particular to play with somebody who attracts hype and pleasure. The added bonus? It provides his teammates extra room to play.”I positively search for him and try to feed him the ball every time I can in the course of the recreation,” Mast stated.Tominaga’s father, Hiroyuki, was a middle on Japan’s nationwide workforce that performed within the 1998 FIBA World Championship. Tominaga himself performed 3×3 basketball representing Japan in the course of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and he helped Japan qualify for the 2024 Paris Games. When Tominaga rejoined his Nebraska teammates after serving to Japan qualify, Mast recalled how Tominaga took over in three possessions in a row throughout a 5-on-5 session beginning with a standard 3.”When you let him hit one 3, he will get on hearth, like, immediately,” Mast stated. “So then he hit a step-back 3. And then proper the following possession he obtained switched, the 5 switched out on him and he took him one-on-one and hit one other step-back 3, like, three possessions in a row. That was the primary time that I actually noticed what kind of participant he was in individual, and he is been particular this 12 months.”Williams stated Tominaga is much more spectacular after apply or shootarounds. That’s when the guard hits turnaround half-court photographs. The increased the diploma of problem, the higher Tominaga appears to shoot.”He will not take a look at the basket,” Williams stated. “Him and Rienk do it each time after shootaround. But Keisei makes them on a daily — it is simply loopy the stuff he does off-camera.”Mast famous coach Fred Hoiberg teaches the Huskers to maintain the follow-through after the shot. Not Tominaga. All he wants is to get a considerably respectable look and get the ball out of his palms cleanly.Tominaga began his enjoying profession within the U.S. at Ranger College underneath coach Billy Gillispie.Hoiberg stated it is not simple enjoying for Gillispie, a demanding coach that helped Tominaga develop. He talked to Gillispie whereas recruiting Tominaga to Nebraska, and all he heard was how a lot Gillispie beloved Tominaga and his aggressive spirit. Gillispie informed Hoiberg he might yell at him and solely get a smile in return.Part of that was the language barrier. Hoiberg stated a Japanese coach at Ranger College helped Tominaga begin studying some English, which improved when he joined Nebraska in 2021. Getting a girlfriend additionally helped.Hoiberg stated he is pleased with how a lot Tominaga has grown over the previous two years when he merely obtained overwhelmed bodily in his first season.Now, Tominaga does not again down from anybody.Hoiberg stated the guard will make contact and has been phenomenal at creating separation. The coach stated he is pleased with Tominaga’s improvement, which is why he is attracting a lot consideration. That has Nebraska attempting to restrict distractions for a workforce that has by no means gained an NCAA Tournament recreation.”He’s performed on the world stage,” Hoiberg stated. “He helped his nationwide workforce at Japan accomplish one thing that is by no means been accomplished earlier than. And that is what we’re attempting to accomplish right here at Nebraska.”
Even his personal Nebraska teammates take a look at Keisei Tominaga and suppose he simply does not look that athletic.
Then the 6-foot-2, 179-pound guard from Japan will get a basketball in his hand or steps foot on a court docket.
Watch out.
Tominaga is referred to because the “Japanese Steph Curry” for his 3-point taking pictures that bears greater than a passing resemblance to that of the four-time NBA champ and for the enjoyment and swagger the guard performs with — dribbling the ball between his legs or round his again. He leads the eighth-seeded Huskers in opposition to Texas A&M on Friday within the opening spherical of the NCAA Tournament within the South Region.
Video above: ‘Tominaga takeover’ helps Nebraska defeat Michigan
It’s why followers again in Japan shall be watching intently Friday, even with a 14-hour time distinction.
“He’s sort of a star over there, I heard,” guard Brice Williams stated.
Tominaga attracts simply as a lot consideration on the court docket. He leads Nebraska, averaging 14.9 factors a recreation this season and had a career-best 31 factors in an time beyond regulation loss at Illinois on Feb. 4.
Forward Rienk Mast stated it is particular to play with somebody who attracts hype and pleasure. The added bonus? It provides his teammates extra room to play.
“I positively search for him and try to feed him the ball every time I can in the course of the recreation,” Mast stated.
Tominaga’s father, Hiroyuki, was a middle on Japan’s nationwide workforce that performed within the 1998 FIBA World Championship. Tominaga himself performed 3×3 basketball representing Japan in the course of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and he helped Japan qualify for the 2024 Paris Games. When Tominaga rejoined his Nebraska teammates after serving to Japan qualify, Mast recalled how Tominaga took over in three possessions in a row throughout a 5-on-5 session beginning with a standard 3.
“When you let him hit one 3, he will get on hearth, like, immediately,” Mast stated. “So then he hit a step-back 3. And then proper the following possession he obtained switched, the 5 switched out on him and he took him one-on-one and hit one other step-back 3, like, three possessions in a row. That was the primary time that I actually noticed what kind of participant he was in individual, and he is been particular this 12 months.”
Williams stated Tominaga is much more spectacular after apply or shootarounds. That’s when the guard hits turnaround half-court photographs. The increased the diploma of problem, the higher Tominaga appears to shoot.
“He will not take a look at the basket,” Williams stated. “Him and Rienk do it each time after shootaround. But Keisei makes them on a daily — it is simply loopy the stuff he does off-camera.”
Mast famous coach Fred Hoiberg teaches the Huskers to maintain the follow-through after the shot. Not Tominaga. All he wants is to get a considerably respectable look and get the ball out of his palms cleanly.
Tominaga began his enjoying profession within the U.S. at Ranger College underneath coach Billy Gillispie.
Hoiberg stated it is not simple enjoying for Gillispie, a demanding coach that helped Tominaga develop. He talked to Gillispie whereas recruiting Tominaga to Nebraska, and all he heard was how a lot Gillispie beloved Tominaga and his aggressive spirit. Gillispie informed Hoiberg he might yell at him and solely get a smile in return.
Part of that was the language barrier. Hoiberg stated a Japanese coach at Ranger College helped Tominaga begin studying some English, which improved when he joined Nebraska in 2021. Getting a girlfriend additionally helped.
Hoiberg stated he is pleased with how a lot Tominaga has grown over the previous two years when he merely obtained overwhelmed bodily in his first season.
Now, Tominaga does not again down from anybody.
Hoiberg stated the guard will make contact and has been phenomenal at creating separation. The coach stated he is pleased with Tominaga’s improvement, which is why he is attracting a lot consideration. That has Nebraska attempting to restrict distractions for a workforce that has by no means gained an NCAA Tournament recreation.
“He’s performed on the world stage,” Hoiberg stated. “He helped his nationwide workforce at Japan accomplish one thing that is by no means been accomplished earlier than. And that is what we’re attempting to accomplish right here at Nebraska.”
