The miracle at Marvel was just a pipe dream for the Boomers, but it has been a watershed night for Aussie hoops with a record hoops crowd turning out to see the Team USA clash. RE-CAP THE BLOCKBUSTER.
Chris Goulding is used to lighting up Melbourne’s basketball stadiums.
He did it again last night when Australia needed a spark against USA Basketball.
The clean-cut Melbourne United sharpshooter lit up Marvel Stadium with a Boomers equal-high 19 points to keep the hosts within striking distance of World Cup favourites USA.
Goulding’s ability to create his own shot proved invaluable under tight USA defence, going 6-12 from the field including 4-6 from the perimeter.
"I think we need to be a lot more aggressive defensively, we did a pretty decent job of forcing them into the shots we wanted them to take," Goulding said.
"They're the most talented team, so we've got to work even harder to pull it back on our terms.
"We're still working through our offence.
"Hopefully we can show that on Saturday."
Australian basketball legends Shane Heal and Mark Bradtke used Boomers singlets to pocket NBA contracts.
Is veteran Goulding, one of Australia’s best players outside the NBA, the next cab off the rank?
Donovan Mitchell of the USA shoots over Aron Baynes. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
WHITE KNIGHTS
USA Basketball last night stamped its credentials as worthy World Cup favourites in Melbourne, pulling apart the gallant Australian Boomers .
The visitors got off to a flying start with Kyle Kuzma splashing three triples in quick succession before star Kemba Walker caught fire in the second half which saw the USA record a comfortable 102 to 86 victory.
Walker pocketed 23 points in a hurry, while Indiana Pacers centre Myles Turner banked a double-double (15-14).
Donovan Mitchell (13 points) earned bragging rights over Australian Utah Jazz teammate Joe Ingles, who had a forgettable night in the green and gold.
Versatile Jaylen Brown (11 points) carved up the second half, slotting seamlessly into USA coach Gregg Popovich’s line-up.
Patrick Mills of the Boomers and Donovan Mitchell of the USA compete for the ball.
DE-LIGHTFUL
It worked only in patches for Australia but the Boomers will take a power of beating at the World Cup in China next month with Aron Baynes and Andrew Bogut immovable in defence.
The big men provided a physical presence in the paint but also worked the other way to get on the scoreboard and get others into the game.
Bogut showed a clean pair of hands and heels during the marquee clash, dishing off slick passes to the likes of Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova but also sliding past Mason Plumlee to dunk unopposed.
Dellavedova and Mills kept USA Basketball opponents honest at ground level while Jock Landale blocked two shots.
The Boomers were rewarded with two forced shot-clock violations against the visitors, built on the back of a resilient defensive effort.
ALLEZ-OOPS!
Frenchman Fredrick Weis has been the butt of basketball jokes for the best part of two decades.
On this night, however, the 7'2" big man got one back on Team USA, if ever so slightly, when NBA legend and Sydney Olympics gold medallist Tim Hardaway blundered a court-side question about his favourite moment in stars and stripes.
"Vince Carter dunking over the dude from China!" Hardaway exclaimed proudly during the quarter-time interview.
Not surprisingly, the former Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat superstar's bungle sparked a Twitter meltdown with fans posting clips of Carter's poster.
Matthew Dellavedova of the Boomers (L) guards Kemba Walker.
DO I KNOW YOU?
Not all fans got a bum steer on seats last night at Marvel Stadium.
Those that did, vented accordingly on social media about poor visibility and the like.
Others, like well-heeled Cranbourne resident Silvio Marinelli, couldn’t be happier with his four-figure investment.
Like every other basketball fan, Marinelli walked up to his seat hoping for a great spectacle, he got that, and then some, sitting alongside Australian NBA star Dante Exum.
Silvio Marinelli got the seat of a lifetime when he pulled up next to Aussie NBA jet Dante Exum.
It ended up a demolition, but the Aussies can hold their heads high in the first half.
Kemba Walker turned it on after the break, scoring 23 points.
Big man Myles Turner, who had 15 points and 14 boards, was excited to play inside the huge arena at Marvel Stadium.
"It means everything (to play for Team USA)," Turner said after the match.
"It's an incredible honour just to be here, playing in such a beautiful arena like this.
"It's (Melbourne) one of the places I've always wanted to go.
"A little chilly but other than that it's all good."
Chris Goulding, who had 19 off the bench to be joint leader with Patty Mills, said the Boomers needed to be more aggressive defensively.
"I think we need to be a lot more aggressive defensively, we did a pretty decent job of forcing them into the shots we wanted them to take," Goulding said.
"They're the most talented team, so we've got to work even harder to pull it back on our terms.
"We're still working through our offence. Hopefully we can show that on Saturday."
Goulding said it was a huge night for Australian basketball, thanking the record crowd.
"From an Australia basketball point of view we can't thank you guys enough for making the effort to come out," he said.
"Over 50,000 have come out. I just want to say thank you."
FULL TIME: BOOMERS 86 lt TEAM USA 102
Michael Randall
It ended up a demolition, but the Aussies can hold their heads high in the first half.
Kemba Walker turned it on after the break, scoring 23 points.
Big man Myles Turner, who had 15 points and 14 boards, was excited to play inside the huge arena at Marvel Stadium.
"It means everything (to play for Team USA)," Turner said after the match.
"It's an incredible honour just to be here, playing in such a beautiful arena like this.
"It's (Melbourne) one of the places I've always wanted to go.
"A little chilly but other than that it's all good."
Chris Goulding, who had 19 off the bench to be joint leader with Patty Mills, said the Boomers needed to be more aggressive defensively.
"I think we need to be a lot more aggressive defensively, we did a pretty decent job of forcing them into the shots we wanted them to take," Goulding said.
"They're the most talented team, so we've got to work even harder to pull it back on our terms.
"We're still working through our offence. Hopefully we can show that on Saturday."
Goulding said it was a huge night for Australian basketball, thanking the record crowd.
"From an Australia basketball point of view we can't thank you guys enough for making the effort to come out," he said.
"Over 50,000 have come out. I just want to say thank you."
BOOMERS 82 V TEAM USA 97
Michael Randall
Aron Baynes drained his second three of the night to open the final quarter scoring, but the sting went out of this very, very quickly.
The wheels fell of late, as we expected them to, but you have to be proud of the first half effort. And it gives you an idea of the talent in this Team USA squad, which bats far deeper than the Boomers.
CROWD RECORD!
Michael Randall
It's official – the biggest crowd every to watch a basketball game on Australia shores turned out to Marvel Stadium tonight with 51,218 fans streaming through the turnstiles.
Team USA flexed its muscle after it was close at the long break and now it all looks academic.
Will take something special from the Boomers to get back into this one.
Kemba Walker with 14 and Donovan Mitchell with 13 are just turning the afterburners on.
Mitchell hasn't dunked on his mate and fellow Jazz man Joe Ingles… yet.
In fact, there haven't been many dunks at all, with both teams guarding the paint heavily and relying on the deep ball.
3QT: BOOMERS 61 V TEAM USA 76
Michael Randall
Team USA flexed its muscle after it was close at the long break and now it all looks academic.
Will take something special from the Boomers to get back into this one.
Kemba Walker with 14 and Donovan Mitchell with 13 are just turning the afterburners on.
Mitchell hasn't dunked on his mate and fellow Jazz man Joe Ingles… yet.
In fact, there haven't been many dunks at all, with both teams guarding the paint heavily and relying on the deep ball.
WHY THE LONG FACE RUSTY?
Michael Randall
BOOMERS 48 TEAM USA 59
Michael Randall
Bang, bang, bang.
One point at the break has quickly become 13 with Team USA reeling off a trio of three-pointers as the Aussies have come out slow.
Fightback needed here half way through the third.
PHOTOGENIC MARVEL
Michael Randall
It's a unique set up at Marvel Stadium and it's made for some stunning images.
Check these out:
The Aussies fell behind by as many as 11 in that term, but hit back with a vengeance thanks to Melbourne United favourite Chris Goulding, who drained back to back threes and then Patty Mills hit from deep just before the buzzer to trim the margin to just one point at the long break.
The Boomers are in this up their eyeballs.
Mills has 13 to lead all scorers, while Goulding is up to 10.
Kuzma still leads Team USA with 9, while Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker have seven each. Pacers big man Myles Turner is eating glass with nine boards.
Patty Mills cuts middle and flips it in for the 3-point play!
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