The rise of promising young players, along with high interest in domestic leagues, is increasingly fueling the popularity of basketball in Japan.Amidst such circumstances, are you aware of a tournament that focuses on university basketball, the "Sun Chlorella presents World University Basketball Series (WUBS)"?This year marked the third time WUBS was held, and we invited three key figures from WUBS to conduct an interview to delve into their activities.

Left_ Takaaki Matsufuji, who takes command as the head coach of Chukyo University’s Basketball team, and also holds numerous leadership roles such as the team leader for JUBF (All Japan University Basketball Federation) and U22 representative team leader for JBA (Japan Basketball Tournament). He has a number of coaching achievements to his name. Middle_ Kaifu Suzuki is in charge of managing and producing the university basketball tournament as the head of the JUBF student committee, A current university student belonging to the Waseda University Basketball team. Right_Yumeto Matsumoto , an employee of Rakuten Group Inc.’s IPCB Business Department’s Sports IP Business Division’s Sports Event Business Group, is a Project Leader of WUBS2024. Since the establishment of WUBS, they have been a key figure managing all operations in the tournament, including interactions with JUBF executives and student committees, as well as liaising with each participating team.

Firstly, there is a championship tournament called “Intercollegiate” in university basketball, which determines the best university team in Japan.Many students participate in this competition with the goal of achieving notable results.If you think of “Inkare” as the equivalent of “Koshien (Japanese High School Baseball Championship)” in high school baseball, you will better understand the level of dedication involved.Amidst all this, WUBS, now in its third edition, may have a short history amidst numerous student grand stages, but it is gaining attention year by year as an international tournament that determines the “world champion” of university basketball.

The Final Destination of Pure Drama Created by Students

――Let me ask you directly, what makes college basketball interesting?

Takaaki Matsufuji (hereafter, Matsufuji): “It’s a place where you can strongly feel the end of your student life. After graduating from university, if you officially play basketball, you either join a professional or corporate team and do it as a job. Therefore, I feel that the exciting aspect unique to university basketball is the glimpse of such a critical juncture.”

――So, it’s a mix of different emotions compared to high school basketball.

Matsufuji: “Yes, that’s right.Additionally, if high school basketball is led by advisors and coaches, college basketball strongly emphasizes student leadership. Every player has a story. For instance, tracking how well-known players from high school or conversely unknown players will shine as they conclude their student life, I believe, adds to the enjoyment.”

――You are the key figure in running WUBS. Have you always been fond of basketball?

Matsumoto Yumeto (hereafter, Matsumoto): “Actually, I myself wasn’t that knowledgeable about basketball. Through WUBS, I got to know about the high level of university basketball and witnessed the “last youth,” a mix of the gritty aspects unique to students and the moving moments.”However, the reality is that university basketball is still largely unknown to many people. I continue to run the tournaments with the hope that if people actually watch it, the number of fans, like myself, will increase.”

――Opportunities for college basketball to catch people’s attention are not so frequent?

Matsufuji: “This is just my personal feeling, but I feel that college sports, not just basketball, seem to have fewer opportunities for exposure compared to familiar high school competitions like the Winter Cup, Koshien (Japanese High School Baseball Championship), Fuyu no Kokuritsu(All Japan High School Soccer Tournament) ,and Hanazono (National High School Rugby Tournament ). As someone immersed in the university basketball industry, I must admit there was a certain frustration with the gap. So, I was very pleased when an international tournament like WUBS was born.”

――As the student council president of JUBF, you are involved in the operation of the conference. What are your impressions participating in WUBS?

Suzuki Kaifu (hereinafter, Suzuki): “We have been participating since the first tournament, and the increasing number of spectators and the constantly improving performances always excite us, the board members. Being able to participate in the international tournament known as WUBS as an organizer has been a stimulating and new experience. Not only have I been exposed to high-level matches, but I’ve also been able to experience exciting venue decorations and sound equipment that I don’t usually get to see in regular tournament operations. I feel that the students themselves are enjoying and engaging in it.”

――It’s a valuable experience for students, isn’t it?

Suzuki: “Yes. When students hear the word ‘management’,many inevitably associate it with the negative image of ‘hard and strenuous work’.In fact, during the league season which happens several times a year, I arrive at the venue at 8 a.m., and after the match is over, I return to the office to prepare for the next day, so there are times when I end up going home just before the last train. However, there is nothing like that in WUBS, so the students are very happy (laughs).”

Matsumoto: “That’s a gratifying story (laughs). There are several points that we value at WUBS, and one of these values is ‘expansion’.It is necessary to function as a growth tool for the involved students, and for universities in each country, we want to create a venue where they can further expand their global perspective by interacting with overseas teams. I also believe that by connecting with people who are not typically involved in basketball, such as those appearing in halftime events, we can not only energize the tournament, but also transform it into an interesting experience for the participants.”

――It would be nice if such behind-the-scenes aspects could be conveyed as unique charms of university basketball, wouldn’t it?

Matsufuji: The ‘expansion’ that Matsumoto mentioned is indeed a value that the JBA cherishes. In fact, we have received numerous praises for the WUBS tournament from the coaches of the overseas teams that participated. Due to the international stage, not only the growth of the students is significant but also the audience gets to experience the unique characteristics of the teams from different countries. They realize that there isn’t as much difference between the basketball played in powerhouse countries like America and Europe and that in Japan. On the other hand, they get a feel of the strength of Asian teams, with Taiwan being a prime example. Furthermore, I believe that more athletes will get noticed by professional leagues through their performance in WUBS, and the number of such instances will continue to increase. I feel that, different from Intercollegiate tournaments, it can be expected to become another ‘dream stage’ for them.”

Matsumoto: “I’m truly delighted to see it steadily spreading both domestically and internationally.We also see the stage called WUBS as something like a testing ground.Because JUBF has a history, there are naturally styles that should be preserved. We want to continue working towards creating an event where all participants, including the league, students, sponsors, and spectators, can truly enjoy themselves, while effectively utilizing the opportunity for free thinking that WUBS offers.”

For basketball stakeholders and fans who are steadily increasing both domestically and internationally, pinning their hopes on WUBS.There are many challenges such as increasing the number of participating teams, raising awareness of the tournament itself, and improving customer attraction, but if the number of students who leap forward with WUBS as a trigger increases, the day when this tournament attracts more attention than it does now should not be far off.Let’s together cheer on the young people who embrace dreams and hopes in basketball, aiming for a bright future.

PHOTO: Souta Motonaga
INTERVIEW & TEXT: Keisuke Honda
EDIT: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)