Balanced Boomers wrap World Cup campaign with win

OKINAWA (Japan) - Australia concluded their FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 on a triumphant note following a 100-84 beatdown of Georgia, Sunday night at the Okinawa Arena.

 

Patty Mills finished with 19 points as he bannered the Boomers' balanced offensive attack on the way to ensuring that they leave the Japanese prefecture with a win, serving as a consolation of sorts after seeing their Final Phase hopes get dashed by Luka Doncic and Slovenia last Friday.

Dante Exum had18 points, while Duop Reath came through with 16 as both saved their best for last by turning in their best games in the campaign closer. World Cup rookie Josh Giddey made 15 points while Joe Ingles chimed in 10 points as five players scored in double figures in the win.

 

Turning point: Australia took the lead early before pulling away in the second quarter, with Reath and Nick Kay giving them a 38-23 lead approaching the midway mark of the period. Their lead even ballooned to 51-31 a little over two minutes left before the halftime break.

Georgia did try to come back when they got to within just 10 early in the final frame, but that was the closest they could get as Jack White and Giddey connived for six straight for an 85-69 lead with less than seven minutes to go, effectively restoring order for the Boomers.

TCL Player of the Game: Exum scored 10 of his points in the second half, eventually finishing with a 6-of-12 clip from the field that included 3 treys. He led Australia in efficiency with 17.

 

Stats don't lie: The victory also marked a double celebration for Mills as he surpassed  Dirk Nowitzki, Leo Rautins and his fellow countryman Andrew Gaze as players to have scored 10 or more points in 18 consecutive games in FIBA Basketball World Cup history. His streak is now at 19.

Ingles achieved a personal feat as well. By finishing with 6 assists, the veteran forward has moved up to fifth in the World Cup's all-time assists leaders with 90, getting past Facundo Campazzo (88).

Bottomline: A semi-finalist of the previous World Cup in China, Australia will finish this year's tilt with a 3-2 record, and in the coming months will start their buildup for the Paris Olympics.

Georgia, on the other hand, finished with a 2-3 slate, definitely nothing to be ashamed of for a team that's just in their very first foray in the global hoops showpiece.

They said: "Read a lot and respect everyone's opinion. But what I said to the group inside, I'm not embarrassed. I'm gonna go back to Melbourne with my head high. This isn't a continuation of Rose Gold. I knew when I re-signed to come back to this that I'd have to do some nasty stuff and that we would be in a position of change .. We're starting over, we're building something exciting and nice and a huge bright side for our next Olympic campaign so there was a lot of good in this." - Brian Goorjian, Head Coach, Australia

"Obviously mixed feelings with not continuing to play, and other teams till playing. Obviously our goal as a group was to be here in the end and we didn't achieve that which is disappointing. But a lot of positives, I think, from this last six, seven weeks together with a very new group, figuring out the right way to play and I think we did that, and showed that we can be up there with the best teams. We'll continue to build off this and in nine, 10 months' time, we'll be ready to go in Paris." - Joe Ingles, Australia

"We are extremely happy being here, participating in the World Cup for the first time. As people of basketball, we'd like to say thanks a lot for everything - for the organization, for the fans, I'm very proud of my group. They gave everything they have " - Ilias Zouros, Head Coach, Georgia.

Press conference:

 

FIBA