Yuki Kawamura: I Don’t Think It Was a Foul; The Loss Is My Responsibility

In the men's basketball group stage of the Paris Olympics, the host team France narrowly defeated Japan 94-90 in overtime. At the last moment of the fourth quarter, Yuki Kawamura committed a foul on French guard Matthew Strazel, giving him a 3-point play opportunity. Strazel successfully scored 4 points, helping France force the game into overtime.

After the game, Yuki Kawamura said about his fatal foul: "I didn't think it was a foul. But Strazel is an excellent shooter, and it was a tough shot that he made." Regarding his own performance, Kawamura said: "This was a game we could have won. As a point guard, I couldn't control the game well, and I think it's my responsibility. Winning is our shared goal, and I still need to keep improving."

Commenting on Rui Hachimura being ejected for two technical fouls, Kawamura said: "That didn't mean the game was over. Everyone kept playing and shouting 'let's keep playing.'" Regarding the next game against Brazil, Kawamura stated: "I want to continue to grow through this game and help the team achieve the goal of reaching the quarterfinals."

In this game, Yuki Kawamura played for 33 minutes, making 9 of 26 field goals, 6 of 15 three-pointers, and 5 of 5 free throws, scoring a game-high 29 points, along with 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal.