OKINAWA, Japan – Co-host Japan will tip off the FIBA Basketball World Cup at Okinawa Arena on Friday against a German side looking to stake out its place among the sport’s global elite.

Led by 10-year NBA veteran point guard Dennis Schroder, the 2022 EuroBasket bronze medalist arrived in Japan following a strong run of exhibition performances culminating in a 91-99 loss Sunday to the United States in which it pushed the World Cup favorite to the brink.

With an NBA contingent also including brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner of the Orlando Magic, and Indiana Pacers center Daniel Theis, the European side has been picked by some pundits to finish on top of arguably the toughest group of the tournament, Group E, at Okinawa Arena.

World No. 36 Japan will look to even the slate with 11th-ranked Germany after going down 81-70 in their previous meeting at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.

Co-hosting with the Philippines and Indonesia this time around, Japan faces a daunting battle to emerge from a group also including No. 3 Australia and No. 24 Finland.

Akatsuki Japan head Coach Tom Hovasse, who steered the country’s women’s team to silver at the Tokyo Olympics, has stated the goal of finishing highest among the Asian teams at the World Cup and earning automatic qualification to next year’s Paris Games.

The American tactician will aim to upset Japan’s more fancied groupmates with an up-tempo playing style involving quick ball movement and plenty of three-point shots.

He will most likely need big performances from Phoenix Suns swingman Yuta Watanabe — Japan’s sole NBA representative in the absence of Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura — as well as Nebraska Cornhuskers livewire Keisei Tominaga, if Japan is to defy the odds in Okinawa’s “Group of Death.”