Game Winners at FIBA Qualifiers, Week 0 QB Performances, Okamoto Continues Electric Season

Asia’s basketball stars shined on the international stage while major moves unfolded across College Football, the MLB, and the LPGA Tour. In the most recent FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, Kai Sotto delivered down the stretch with a last-second block to seal the win for Gilas Pilipinas in overtime against Jordan, on their way to back-to-back victories.  China’s Yang Hansen also provided late game heroics against Lebanon with a bucket on the block to keep their qualification hopes alive.  Meanwhile, Japan’s stars went scorched-earth against Qatar and Saudi Arabia.  Rui Hachimura averaged 37.5 points per game, with Yuki Kawamura as the primary distributor averaging 9.5 assists per game.  Keisei Tominaga shot 67% from three which included a 25-point game.  These remarkable performances from three Asian nations forged a perfect 6-0 record in August. In off-court developments for college hoops, Xaivian Lee committed to Gonzaga for a fifth season following a landmark NCAA eligibility ruling.  Lee previously spent three seasons starring for Princeton before transferring to Florida.  After serving as a core playmaker for the Gators, Lee suited up for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Summer League, appearing in five games before electing to return to college. College Football’s Week 0 kicked off the season with notable quarterback play from USC’s Jayden Maiava.  The Heisman watchlist talent powered the Trojans’ offense with 286 yards and two touchdowns passing while scoring a third on the ground.  Noah Kim put up nearly identical numbers for Eastern Michigan with 279 passing yards, two TDs through the air and one on the ground, leading the Eagles to an opening MAC win over Sacramento State. On the diamond, Blue Jays rookie slugger Kazuma Okamoto continued to display his power with his 27th and 28th home runs of the season in a weekend series sweep over the Mariners.  Okamoto became just the third player in MLB history to homer against 18 different opponents in a rookie campaign.  Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani’s return to the mound was delayed, citing that he is not 100% yet.  The Dodgers did not commit to any further timetable of his pitching return. On the LPGA Tour, Ruoning Yin captured the FM Championship at TPC Boston in an emotional finish.  Finishing at 14-under par, she snapped her 672-day winless streak.