LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) – Rui Hachimura arrived in Gonzaga with an intriguing perspective that spoke very limited English. He spent his first season in Spokane acclimating to the new language and culture while watching the Zags reach the national title.

Hachimura's role has grown as a sophomore, although he is still primarily a backup player on a busy list.

If Hachimura had the chance to lead the Zags this season, he has prospered.

The 6-foot-8 multi-dimensional striker s' imposed himself as one of the nation's top players early this year and took a turn star in the most valuable player's win of the year. Maui Invitational tournament, while taking the lead of Duz, first of the ranking, in Gonzaga.

"He wanted the ball and when we had it, he was fighting mostly against top athletes and very good defenders around the edge," said Gonzaga coach Mark Few. "It's a very, very good sign for us."

The aggressiveness of Hachimura is a recent trend.

Upon arriving on campus, Hachimura was too deferential and passive on the ground. Few and his assistants worked with the great Japanese man to assert himself more, and he certainly has been this season.

Hachimura leads No. 3 Gonzaga with 22.5 points per game while shooting at 59% and getting 5.8 rebounds per game. He had 23 points in the opening match of the Zags' Maui Invitational against Illinois and 24 in the semifinal against Arizona.

Hachimura made the difference against Duke in the title game, calling for possession of the ball and scoring on post-ups and mid-term jumpers. He scored 20 points on 7 out of 14 shots, caught seven rebounds and blocked three shots, including two of Gonzaga's four in the last 46 seconds to retain an 89-87 win over the Blue Devils and Gonzaga's second title in Maui .

"Hachimura gives them a guy in which you can go for a bucket or be the victim of a foul," said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Born to a Japanese father and father from Benin, West African country, Hachimura grew up playing baseball around his hometown, Toyama, Japan. He then tried the track before a friend persuaded him to play basketball.

Hachimura attracted the attention of the coaches of Mesei High School and developed his game at the private boarding school. He continued to improve while growing up and made his appearance on the radar of American coaches when he scored 25 points against the United States at the 2014 FIBA ​​Under-17 World Championships in Dubai.

Gonzaga's assistant coach, Tommy Lloyd, who has the knack for finding talented international players, showed a video of Hachimura to Few, who immediately saw the talent and persuaded him to join the Zags.

After a difficult start in Spokane, largely because of the language barrier, Hachimura gradually adapted to the culture and more aggressive style of basketball in the United States.

He could now become the first NBA lottery choice born in Japan.

Long armed and agile, Hachimura has the strength and play of the feet to score the lowest, and he has a superb medium sweater. He created problems for Duke with his midrange rider and scored the starting basket with 75 seconds left on a powerful blow to the basket.

"He made a big jump," said Few. "He's really aggressive, I've been on him to own him a bit more and I think he's starting to own him."

The rise of Hachimura in American college basketball has attracted a lot of attention in Japan.

When Gonzaga organized a press day for Hachimura in May, teams from the largest Japanese networks followed him all day. Nearly two dozen people followed and filmed in Hachimura, whether to eat or to study. He has also given over two hours of broadcast interviews to millions of Japanese people.

"I'm getting used to a bit of attention," he said at the time.

He would do better. It will only go back up here.

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