Kokoro Tanaka has been the engine of Japan's World Cup run—16.5 points and 3.5 assists per game in recent weeks, moving with precision and tempo that has kept defenses off balance. Her 58.8 TIB Efficiency rating sits well clear of her peers, a mark of both volume and reliability when it matters. Spain will counter with Iyana Martin, who carries a 49 TIB Efficiency and averages 16 points with 4 assists. Martin's playmaking edge is real; the question for Japan's defence is whether they can blunt that creative pressure while Tanaka dictates pace at the other end. This is the pairing that will shape the game. Both teams arrive hot. Both have a clear, ball-moving lead guard who can hurt you in transition or in the half-court. Whoever controls that duel—whoever forces the other into heavier touches, longer looks, or turnovers—likely dictates the tempo and the margin. Japan vs Spain tips off in three hours.