Boomers Close FIBA Window with Massive Last Quarter

For three quarters the Australian Boomers unbeaten FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers run was in serious jeopardy against China on Sunday, but they delivered a dominant fourth quarter to end up winning 71-48.

There was a terrific atmosphere at Melbourne's John Cain Arena on Sunday evening in the final match of this FIBA window as part of the Asian Qualifiers for the 2023 World Cup, and the Chinese fans had plenty to cheer about in the opening three quarters.

China managed to lead by as many as seven points during the third quarter and scores were all level at three quarter-time, but then the Boomers delivered a remarkably dominant fourth term at both ends of the floor to stay unbeaten six games into the World Cup qualifying period.

Having already defeated China 76-69 on Thursday and Japan 98-52 this week in the second window of the qualifying campaign, Australia's fourth quarter at John Cain Arena was outstanding.

The Boomers held China to just three points the entire quarter while scoring 26 points themselves which included three three-point bombs from Melbourne United star forward Jack White.

That saw the Boomers turn a seven-point third quarter deficit into the eventual 23-point victory including scoring 16 consecutive points during that fourth quarter.

Jack White ended up top-scoring for the Boomers with 16 points to go with 14 rebounds with his scoring made up of the three-point bombs and a couple of standout dunks.

Thon Maker also delivered 13 points, five rebounds and three assists while captain Matthew Dellavedova contributed 13 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Will McDowell-White added eight points and five assists, Sam Froling six points and three assists, Mitch McCarron four points, four assists and four rebounds, Todd Blanchfield four points and two steals, Sam McDaniel four points and three boards, and Keanu Pinder three points and five rebounds.

With Jack McVeigh and Clint Steindl unavailable through injury, future Boomers guns Alex Ducas and Tyrese Proctor made their debuts. 

Proctor is currently at the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence ahead of starting his college career at Duke while Ducas is at Saint Mary's having already helped lead his hometown Geraldton Buccaneers to an NBL1 West (then SBL) championship back in 2019.

Australia again scored first thanks to a layup from Todd Blanchfield and the Perth Wildcats swingman also made the Boomers' second bucket of the game to make scores 5-5.

It remained a tight battle, though, and by the end of the first quarter it was China holding on to the 18-16 lead in front of a big and vocal John Cain Arena crowd with both countries receiving tremendous support. 

The Chinese lead grew to seven in the early stages of the second quarter after Xu Jie drained a three-pointer. A Mitch McCarron set up for a Jack White dunk settled things for the Boomers before White threw down another dunk soon after to keep Australia within two points.

Thon Maker then delivered a powerful throwdown to give Australia the narrow lead heading towards half-time and at the main break neither team had clicked offensively, but it was the Boomers with the slight 30-29 advantage.

Captain Matthew Dellavedova then put Australia up three when he scored to start the second half but China responded with a three-pointer from Zhou Qi and from there the visitors threatened to open up a handy advantage when leading by six.

Australia had managed to steady by three quarter-time to draw scores level and then it was a remarkably dominant fourth term from the Boomers.

Dellavedova set the tone with a triple early in the fourth period before White caught fire hitting three triples of his own as the Boomers caught fire after a frustrating first three quarters.

Maker also threw down another slam and in the end Australia scored 26 points to three for the entire fourth quarter to end up winning the game 71-48.

FIBA WORLD CUP ASIAN QUALIFIERS

AUSTRALIAN BOOMERS 71 (White 16, Dellavedova 13, Maker 13)

CHINA 48 (Wang Zhelin 12, Zhao Rui 8, Zhu Junlong 7) 

BOX SCORE