As a two-time WJBL MVP and a Seattle Storm player, Ramu Tokashiki is undoubtedly the biggest star in Japanese women¡¯s basketball right now. But even for a superwoman like her, it¡¯s not easy to adjust while playing in two different leagues.
After the Storm were eliminated in the first round of the WNBA playoffs in late September (the Storm lost 94-85 to the Atlanta Dream in the single-elimination game), Tokashiki returned home and switched to JX-Eneos Sunflowers jersey, and without getting much rest. Bear in mind that she also played at this summer¡¯s Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where Japan successfully advanced to the quarterfinals. So she¡¯s been playing ball all year.
In the Sunflowers¡¯ season-opening game against the Fujitsu Red Wave in Tokyo last Friday, Tokashiki didn¡¯t look like her normal self. She seemed sluggish and kept missing shots, even when she was close to the rim. The 193-cm center/forward (she¡¯s more of a small forward with the Storm) was 5-for-13 from inside the arc for 11 points, while she had 11 rebounds and four turnovers.
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