Australian Boomers overcome disrupted start to secure comfortable win over Canada
AUSTRALIA were a long way short of their best given late withdrawals, late arrivals, injuries and a lack of match fitness in the NBL-based squad, but they rallied to send a stern warning to their rivals.
FOR the first five minutes, Australia looked every bit like a disrupted side that had trained just twice as a full squad.
But the Boomers eventually hopped into their work and showed some glimpses of why they are gold medal favourites in the men’s basketball with a convincing 95-55 win over Canada at the Cairns Convention Centre last night (FRI).
Australia were a long way short of their best given late withdrawals, late arrivals, injuries and a lack of match fitness in the NBL-based squad.
It was not always pretty and downright clunky at times. But it was a start.
And tournament basketball is about how you finish, not how you begin.
The Boomers will be infinitely better for the run ahead of their clash with New Zealand in Cairns tonight (SAT) when they will get a vastly better indication of how tough their bid for a second Commonwealth Games gold medal will be.
The trans-Tasman showdown is a genuine gold medal game preview and the Boomers will need to improve to keep the Tall Blacks at bay both tonight (SAT) and in the big dance back on the Gold Coast on April 15.
Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis knows it too and blasted his troops late in the second quarter with Australia well in control, calling on them to stay in the grind, stick to the basics and maintain pride in the singlet.
The young and inexperienced Canada led by four points early in the first quarter with Australia failing to take advantage of golden offensive opportunities and displaying a lack of intensity in defence.
The Australian bench was quickly injected into the match and sparked the home nation whose youngest player – Mitch Norton, 25 – was older than Canada’s oldest player.
Much like Australia, Canada’s best players are in the NBA and Europe and have called on mainly college players for this tournament while the Boomers have picked their squad from the NBL ranks.
The superior experience, depth and class quickly kicked in for the Boomers who scored 15 unanswered points to finish the first quarter with a 25-13 lead with seven Australian players scoring.
Australia extended their advantage by halftime when they held a 47-29 buffer as centre Angus Brandt owned the paint.
The Boomers were guilty of too many sloppy turnovers after halftime but were still able to get out to a 69-42 at the last break.
After tonight’s (SAT) clash with New Zealand, Australia take on Nigeria on Monday in the last Pool A contest. The top two teams from the top tier Pool A go straight through to the semi-finals on April 14.
Daniel Kickert top-scored for Australia with 14 points from an efficient five field goals from seven attempts, Brad Newley - the sole survivor from the 2006 Commonwealth Games squad - had 12 points and Chris Goulding enjoyed a late flurry for 10 points.
Brandt and Nathan Sobey getting 10 points and 11 rebounds apiece.
Mambi Diawara top-scored for Canada with 10 points.
Originally published as Australian Boomers overcome disrupted start to secure comfortable win over Canada
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