Tominaga aims to help Japan win gold

Former Ranger College standout Keisei Tominaga was a huge part of Ranger College's ability to qualify for back-to-back appearances in the NJCAA Division I men's national basketball tournament during his two years in the Ron Butler Gymnasium.

Now he's looking to carry his home country to Olympic gold.

A 6-foot-2 sharpshooter who signed with the University of Nebraska, Tominaga was among four Japanese stars selected to represent their country at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games in the new 3-on-3 basketball event. An NJCAA All-American as a sophomore, Tominaga will see action beginning July 27 in the Aomi Urban Sports Park against various other countries.

In 3-on-3 play, teams consist of four players, with three players on the court at one time and one serving as a sub. To begin a game, a coin toss is held to determine which team will start the game on offense.

Unlike the traditional game, Tominaga will be looking to nail big two-point shots for Japan when pool play begins on July 27. In the 3-on-3 game, baskets made from behind the three-point arc are worth two points, Baskets from inside the three-point line are worth one point. Free throws also earn a single point if a foul is committed inside the arc.

The winner of a game is the team with the highest score at the end of the 10-minute period, or the first team to score 21 points. If the score is tied after 10 minutes, the game goes into overtime with the first team to score two points declared the winner.

Tominaga finished his RC career as the Rangers' all-time three-point shot leader.

To see a Japanese TV report on Tominaga click here.