MELBOURNE (Australia) – Australia’s head coach Brian Goorjian promised to play something closer to what the final Olympic rotation would be at the John Cain Arena on Tuesday.
It was the final opportunity for the Boomers to make a final impression ahead of the travels to away preparation games and the roster cut.
Goorjian used a lot of his experienced core, but the focus for the team was on defense as the Aussies demonstrated a clinic, getting a 91-58 win.
The story of the game
Matisse Thybulle and Duop Reath took a rest in this game, but the home crowd had the opportunity to see the veteran trio of Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, and Matthew Dellavedova in action.
The Boomers got off to a sluggish start offensively, but they put on the clamps, holding China to just six points in the first quarter.
The shooting struggles continued for the hosts in the second quarter, as the visitors cut the gap to just six points. Australia finished the half stronger and never looked back after the half-time break.
Chris Goulding played his first minutes in the third quarter and broke the ice with four three-pointers and Australia started cruising. It was all smiles in the final quarter, and the fans waved the Boomers goodbye with a sense of delight.
The player of the game
It was difficult to pick a single player to highlight as the Boomers used a wide rotation in this game. Based on his statistics, however, Jock Landale stood out for his offensive impact, especially in the second half.
The center was heavily missed by the Boomers at the World Cup and this time around he is healthy and looking forward to starting games for his national team in Paris.
Landale fits perfectly with Australia’s beautiful off-ball movement and quick style of play. He finished the game with 19 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in 22 minutes.
China’s Hansen Yang surely deserves an honorable mention here. The 19-year-old center impressed in the second quarter with his movement and rim protection. Yang had 5 points, 9 boards and 3 blocks in this game.
The stats of the game
After a poor defensive display on Tuesday, Australia promised a significant improvement on defense and they delivered.
The Boomers held their opponents to just 58 points and, more importantly, forced them to commit 26 turnovers. Goorjian’s men converted those turnovers into 25 points.
The takeaways from the game
Australia’s lockdown defense is no myth. It will later be tested against tougher oppositions, but the effort, size, and understanding are already there. The Boomers are very fun to watch with their off-ball movement and passing game. The amazing team chemistry certainly adds up to this.
They will travel to Abu Dhabi for important preparation games against USA and Serbia next week. Those encounters will give a better idea of Australia’s weak spots – if any – but for now, Goorjian will have a bit of a headache of introducing just 12 players to play at the Olympics out of this selection of 17 good basketball players.
The young Chinese team will use vital experience to continue building for their FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers campaign. And Hansen Yang will certainly be one to watch.
FIBA