FIBA World Cup: Boomers go down to Germany 85-82
Australia have been dealt a heartbreaking defeat at the World Cup, a game in which coach Brian Goorjian launched an all-time tirade at his battling squad.
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After a horror start, an expletive-laden time-out tirade from legendary coach Brian Goorjian ignited a remarkable Patty Mills explosion before two late turnovers from Mills and contentious calls cost the Boomers in a heartbreaking 85-82 loss to Germany.
If this was a test of Australia’s World Cup contender credentials – the men in green and gold passed but have some bumps in the road to iron out if they want to progress deep in the tournament.
The Boomers were again slow out of the gates – an alarming trend that has followed them since their World Cup warm-up games in Melbourne.
Germany went on a 8-0 run to open the game, prompting Goorjian to call a time-out.
The six-time NBL championship-winning coach unleashed on his players.
“I don’t know what’s going on, man,” Goorjian fumed.
“On top of you with a couple seconds left four in the post baseline layup?
“F**k, we’re playing for our lives. Two dead bodies.
“Swallow the f**king ball.
“Come on now. “Boys, we got to pick this up, it’s embarrassing.”
With the master mentor’s spray still ringing in their ears, the Boomers responded inspired by Mills.
The veteran guard had already dropped seven points in quick succession before he unleashed another barrage.
Mills’ incredible run – 13 points in total in less than six minutes - paved the way for Australia to take a slender 25-24 lead at quarter time.
Goorjian addressed his passionate first-quarter timeout post-game.
“When I coach or when I’m hard like that, is when the effort and the controllable stuff is off,” Goorjian said.
“I just thought the first four to five minutes of the game, we had two or three guys on the floor asleep.
“We were off defensively and rebounds and the schemes were a step off and I just needed that timeout to use my voice.
“That’s really the only time I go off. It has been very fair. I think that is the first time since I’ve had them last year.”
Goorjian also admitted a “couple of things out of our control” proved costly.
Officials appeared to miss a clear backcourt violation from Germany while commentator Andrew Gaze said he believed guard Josh Giddey was fouled while attempting a three on the buzzer in an attempt to level the scores.
“Looked like there was a lot of contact (on Giddey), wasn’t called, but take nothing away from Germany,” Gaze said.
Goorjian conceded there were a host of calls he was “disappointed” about but he gave full credit to Germany for executing in the final minutes.
In the end, costly turnovers and Germany’s NBA star guard Dennis Schroder proved the difference.
Schroder finished with a game-high 30 points while he added eight assists and four steals.
The recently signed Atlanta Hawk had 18 points and five assists in the first half alone to help his side lead 49-44 at halftime.
It was the first time the Boomers had trailed at the break in a World Cup game since 2014, ending a 14-game stretch.
Germany’s other guard Maodo Lo added 20 points as the European’s backcourt combined for 50 points.
Germany opened the fourth quarter on a 10-0 run to take command and open up a 72-66 lead.
The two teams went possession for possession down the stretch – but two crucial turnovers from Mills and a missed free-throw from Giddey cost the Australians.
The three-point win is Germany’s first over Australia at a major tournament from six starts.
The Boomers must now beat Japan on Tuesday from 9.10pm (AEST) to progress to the second group phase.
Germany received a hammer blow before the game when its best player – Orlando Magic NBA star Franz Wagner - was ruled out with an ankle injury.
Wagner tweaked his left ankle in the fourth quarter of the German’s Cup opener against Japan on Friday.
The Magic big man had 10 points, six rebounds and five assists before going down injured.
Wagner is a significant presence in the paint for Germany, so his absence was a big loss for the Europeans, but they found a way to win.
Mills surges into second in World Cup scoring:
If former Boomers captain Phil Smyth has to surrender his World Cup point-scoring record to someone, he’s thrilled that it’s Patty Mills.
Smyth believes Mills personifies what it means to be a Boomer, so he couldn’t be happier to see the veteran guard surpass him in the record books.
The legendary guard needed 12 points to pass Smyth – and it took him less than six minutes to reach the milestone with a 13 point pile on.
Mills now sits on 311 points, second only to the greatest Boomer – Andrew Gaze – on 594 points.
Smyth praised Mills and hopes the Australians can respond against Japan on Tuesday to keep their Cup hopes alive.
“I love Patty’s passion and love of the Boomers - it’s infectious in the team,” Smyth said.
“I believe he will be spoken about for years to come – he is really that good.”
From America to Spain to Japan: The reinvention of Dante Exum
Dante Exum credits defining stints in Spain and Serbia for reigniting his career and NBA dreams – now he is ready to repay the Boomers on the world stage.
Exum has become a centrepiece of Australia’s line-up after starring at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics following a seven-year international hiatus.
The Melbourne-born guard played a vital role off the bench to help the Australians end six decades of pain to secure their Rose Gold moment.
Two years on, Exum feels like he is a superior player heading into the Boomers’ 2023 World Cup campaign following his time in Europe.
It’s a declaration that will be music to the ears for Australian fans, especially with a Cup clash against a formidable Germany side on Sunday.
The Germans, ranked No. 11 in the world, possess four NBA players on their roster.
The likes of Dennis Schroder (14 points), Moritz Wagner (25) and Daniel Theis (13) all played vital roles in Germany’s dominant 81-63 victory over co-host nation Japan on Friday.
Australia won 98-72 in its opening game against Finland on Friday.
Germany are big, long and athletic while their basketball IQ is high – factors that will make them extremely difficult to beat.
Exum, though, is feeling confident about Australia’s and his own prospects of performing strongly against the Germans.
The recently signed Dallas Mavericks guard believes his stints in Spain and Serbia have him primed to deliver against any European side.
“These European teams are strong now – with the style of basketball they play, so for me going into this (World Cup), I’m better than what I was in Tokyo,” said Exum, who won an ABA League championship with Partizan this year and a Spanish Cup with Barcelona in 2022.
“Playing in the EuroLeague in these past two seasons has brought a different type of experience and that is what I’m trying to add to this (Boomers) team.
“I’ve played against a lot of these European guys that I didn’t know about back in Tokyo, so I’m using that to my advantage.”
Exum was a key off the bench in beating Finland, exploding in the third quarter with eight points while he was super effective on the defensive end.
He feels ready to handle coach Brian Goorjian hailing him Australia’s second unit conductor behind starting guard Josh Giddey.
Boomers veteran Joe Ingles certainly has full faith in Exum.
Ingles couldn’t help but use an expletive when asked about the impact the guard made during Australia’s opening World Cup win over Finland.
“F@#$,” Ingles said.
“I mean, he was huge in Tokyo and he has gone off from there and played really well in Europe and he has earned his way back to Dallas this year.
“Kind of like Patty (Mills), it’s what we expect from him now.
“I think for Dante having played with him earlier in his career, injuries were something that he was dealing with and getting his body right.
“I think he has got himself in a really good spot. He knows what to do to be ready for a game and on the court, offensively and defensively, he has been huge for us in the last 12 months.”
Exum’s European stints have also significantly improved his shooting.
In 63 games for Barcelona and Partizan over a two-year period, he scored 658 points.
Again, Ingles isn’t surprised about Exum’s rise on the offensive end.
“The same kind of thing – I expect it,” he said about Exum’s shooting.
“I’ve seen the work that he puts in. You see the work he does, the confidence he has and we obviously have confidence in him to shoot those shots.
“At the end of the day, the results are that and we are happy to see that.
“He has been unreal.”
WORLD CUP (GAME 2)
BOOMERS v. GERMANY
OKINAWA ARENA, JAPAN
SUNDAY, 6.30PM (AEST)
Originally published as FIBA World Cup: Boomers go down to Germany 85-82
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