UTSUNOMIYA (Kyodo) -- Yudai Nishida scored a team-high 21 points for Japan as it moved to the brink of qualification for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup with a 93-75 win over Mongolia on Thursday.

Makoto Hieijima added 18 and new addition Alex Kirk 17 for world No. 21 Japan in its first game since going 0-3 at the Paris Olympic men's basketball tournament this past summer.

Head coach Tom Hovasse's team briefly gave up the lead to 108th-ranked Mongolia early in the second period before taking control of the game at Nikkan Arena Tochigi in Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo.

Akatsuki Japan sits atop qualifying Group C with three wins from as many games and can punch its ticket to next year's tournament in Saudi Arabia with a victory away to Guam on Sunday.

"I'm glad to get the win," said Hovasse, who was recently reappointed to the top job. "The experienced players were calm. The younger players weren't as proficient at our style of basketball, but they needed this experience. They'll be able to do it next time."