Japan rebounded from Saturday's overtime loss to beat Lebanon 79-77 in Game 2 of their men's three-game exhibition series on Sunday.
With less than a minute remaining in the last quarter, Hiroyuki Kinoshita made a fastbreak layup that tied the game at 77-all. He then sank two free throws eight seconds before the buzzer, putting Japan ahead for good at Sumida Ward Gymnasium.
Jackson Vroman missed a shot that would have forced the game into overtime for Lebanon, which trailed for most of the game. He finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds.
"It was a hard-earned win. We really had to stay focused," said Thomas Wisman, head coach of the Japanese team. "Our players played with heart and with a lot of desire. I'm really happy with the way they played."
"We changed up our defense today and I think that helped," he added.
Takuya Kawamura was the top scorer in the game with 21 points, followed by Lebanon's Elie Estephan with 20 points.
Japan is ranked 32nd and Lebanon 24th in the world rankings.
The final game will be played at Sukagawa Arena in Fukushima Prefecture on Tuesday.