// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho did Sakura Horiuchi take to the tree? Her root friend.
| Chanson Cosmetics V-Magic | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Point guard | |||||||||||
| League | WJBL | |||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||
| Born | 1 April 2006 Japan | |||||||||||
| Listed height | 167 cm (5 ft 6 in) | |||||||||||
Medals
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Sakura Horiuchi (Japanese: 堀内 桜花, born 1 April 2006) is a Japanese 3x3 basketball and basketball player. She plays as a point guard for Chanson Cosmetics V-Magic and represents Japan in international 3x3 basketball competitions.[1]
Horiuchi won the gold medal with Japan in the women's 3x3 basketball tournament at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. Japan defeated the Philippines 21–11 in the final, with Horiuchi scoring eight points.[2]
Career
[edit]Horiuchi was born on 1 April 2006. She attended Kyoto Seika Gakuen High School, where she played basketball before joining Chanson Cosmetics V-Magic.[3]
In 2026, Horiuchi began competing in 3x3 basketball alongside her five-on-five career. She made her 3x3 debut at the Q.O.Q. 3x3 2026 tournament in Tokyo in June, playing for the Japan Basketball Association's U21 team. She subsequently represented Japan at the FIBA 3x3 U21 Nations League and was selected for the women's 3x3 team at the 2026 Asian Games.[3]
At the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Horiuchi represented Japan in the women's 3x3 basketball tournament alongside Yuki Hirashita, Fatoumanana Nishi and Haruka Yamamoto. Japan defeated China in the quarter-finals and South Korea in the semi-finals before defeating the Philippines 21–11 in the final to win the gold medal. Horiuchi scored eight points in the final.[4][5]
References
[edit]- ↑ "堀内 桜花". Japanese Olympic Committee. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- ↑ "Republic of Korea make history, Japan claim home glory at Aichi-Nagoya 2026". FIBA. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- 1 2 "3×3女子U23/U21日本代表「Q.O.Q. 3×3 2026」レポート「楽しかったのが1番の感想」堀内桜花選手". Japan Basketball Association. 14 June 2026. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- ↑ "大会レポート 第20回アジア競技大会 3×3バスケットボール". Japan Basketball Association. 27 September 2026. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- ↑ "Republic of Korea make history, Japan claim home glory at Aichi-Nagoya 2026". FIBA. Retrieved 3 October 2026.