Last night, Australia’s mens basketball team received some criticism for their performance against Angola in the FIBA 2014 World Cup.
The Boomers were ‘upset’ by Angola 91-83, yet it wasn’t the loss that angered people, it was the fact that Australia didn’t do everything in its power to win.
From the tip-off, Australia’s intentions were clear, as the Boomers best two players of the tournament so far, Aron Baynes and Joe Ingles, were ‘rested’ from the game. Before the first quarter, coach Andrej Lemanis had emptied the bench, and players like Chris Goulding – who had received little game time so far in the tournament – were given extended minutes on the court.
If Australia wanted to lose the game, the strategy didn’t seem to be working too well, with the Boomers ahead at half-time and nursing a double-digit lead in the second half.
However, Angloa, led by Yanick Moreira – who top scored in the match with 38 points – stormed back into the game in the third quarter. The Africans were aided by some Australian defence that lacked some, shall we say, intensity?
Angola eventually took the lead for good in the last three minutes, and Australia couldn’t overcome the deficit, even though the coaching staff and the players on the court appeared to be trying to win the game.
Yet here it comes the paradox: although it was evident Australia was trying to win, they still had five reserves on the court in the final minutes of the game. So the Boomers weren’t really trying to win at all. Confused?
The Boomers tactic was to lose the game so as to avoid a match-up with the mighty Team USA for as long as possible. Due to their impressive victory over Lithuania, along with their wins over South Korea and Mexico, Australia was poised to finish second in their pool with a win over Angola. However, in all likelihood, this would have seen them play the United States in the quarter-finals, instead of the semi-finals.
So, in order to finish third in their pool – and put them on the opposite side of the draw to the US – the Boomers didn’t exactly go ‘all out’ last night.
It should be noted that rest for key players, in a tournament with many games in a short amount of time, was also a consideration in last night’s approach.
When the Boomers eventually lost, Twitter blew up. Amongst the many angry tweets I saw, the words ‘tanking’ and ‘un-Australian’ were extremely common. Just as the phrase ‘tournament strategy’ was heavily used in defending the Boomers.
Apart from the fact it was great just to see people talking about the Boomers, it was interesting to read the arguments on both sides of the debate. Or as much as much as you can read into a 140-character message anyway.
There was certainly plenty of passion and emotion. Many people were legitimately angry at the Boomers, fearing they had angered the basketball gods, and that hoop karma would be coming their way.
Many also felt their decision not to try to win the game was ‘un-Australian’ – which I’ve always felt was a funny term anyway.
Steve Waugh is considered the classical Aussie sportsman. A win-at-all costs warrior, who always played within the spirit of the game. Yet even ‘Tugger’ appreciated the nuances in ‘tournament strategy’ and applied them when he was skipper of the Australian cricket team.
At the World Cup in England in 1999, Australia crawled to victory against the West Indies at Old Trafford, chasing down 111 run in an unbelievable 40.4 overs. Waugh finished 19 not out from 73 balls and Michael Bevan was unbeaten on 20 off 69.
Waugh never intended to lose the game, but there was a benefit to winning as slowly as possible. Australia had decided that it would be preferential to play the West Indies in the next round, and by scoring slowly, Australia were helping the Windiest run-rate, which would aid Australia’s ambition to face them later in the tournament.
Now granted, that’s not ‘throwing’ a game like the Boomers are accused of doing, but it does remain ‘tournament strategy’, which is exactly what Australia were implementing last night.
I completely understand that not trying to win a game jars with many people. It did with me just a little, I have to be honest, as it was a weird feeling to be essentially cheering for a loss last night.
Yet if you feel the Boomers effort last night was ‘un-Australian’, perhaps you need to look at the bigger picture.
The idea in World Cups in any sport is to advance as far as possible in the competition, and that was the motivation behind last night’s decision.
If being Australian is all about ‘winning’ and ‘trying your hardest’, couldn’t you argue that’s exactly what the Boomers were doing last night? The only difference is that they were thinking long-term.
The intent was still very much to ‘win’, just with a different methodology than perhaps we’re used to.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
The loss to Turkey doesn't change a thing. It was still, technically, the right decision to lose to Angola. The question remains on the moral correctness of it, but that doesn't change the fact it was a smarter move strategically. And the tanking didn't come back to bite us on the bum, that's just a convenient narrative.
Sportz
Guest
Well, just as I thought might happen, the whole "tanking" thing came back to bite us on the bum. We lost this morning to Turkey by a point, so we're out in the round of 16. Meanwhile, Lithuania and Slovenia (the team that finished in the dreaded 2nd position that we didn't want) both won and got through. So where would Australia rather be now. Playing against the USA in the 1/4 finals like Slovenia or knocked out???
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Agreed 100%
Squidward
Roar Rookie
I have no problems what so ever with "tournement strategy" while I still hate to lose I can see why they did it and no quarms. Although some backfiring of it is a risk
Trekkie
Guest
Johnno, Don't you mean Chookers or Pullets, as in Pull the other one. How is a tournament fair where you get rewarded for coming first or third in your group with a likely easier passage to the quarterfinals than if you come second or fourth? It seems that the whole tournament is set up to encourage the manipulation of results to either finish first or third in your group. Only someone like Johnno could have dreamt up such a competition format. Perhaps they should fix the format, or just have first and second into the quarterfinals and the rest go home.
Will Lutwyche
Roar Rookie
I suppose the way to help negate this whole situation is by following FIFA and playing the games in last round at the same time. Whilst Australia still could have deliberately lost - it could have put a bit of doubt into it all. I think there is no doubting that Australia tanked against Angola, time will tell if it was a good decision. Losing to Turkey will bring about some criticism for Australia and I think I will be one of the ones to say they probably deserve it. However, if they go on to play the US in the semis - the controversial loss will probably be forgotten.
deanp
Guest
Anyone who genuinely believes the players intentionally, purposefully, began to throw speculative passes, and make dumb plays, is a very ignorant and self regarding individual. These players are professionals, they are too proud to do such a thing. Lemanis is a proud coach. These things happen in sport, quite often in fact, under pressure, as anyone who saw the Kiwi melt-down, when they surrendered a 12 pt lead in the 4th quarter, would realise. Bu isn't it nearly always the case, that it is those with the most strident views, who often turn out to be those with the least understanding of the topics they pontificate about.
deanp
Guest
you obviously didn't see the Kiwis V Turks, now that was a turn-around. But seriously, why are there so many people who are so arrogant they think they are entitled to comment on things where they clearly lack the knowledge and experience to form a worthwhile opinion.
Johnno
Guest
Doing the rounds for those in the loop is an idea, that the finals stages should be drawn out of a pot. All the 1's,2's,3's,4's, all drawn out of a pot. The elephant in the room is USA, and everyone wants to avoid them until the semi's, so a pot turns it into a lucky dip. But like the All Blacks in rugby teams tank vs them, they play weakened sides in the group games vs them rest players, and lose to them and don't put in an effort and save there energy for the other games. I think they did that at the Maccabiah Games with the good team,for anyone that knows it's like the Jewish Olympics, or Kosher Olympics as my Jewish mates call it.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
How the hell could you punish Basketball Australia? What would the charge be? How would the punishment be ruled upon? By all means disagree with the strategy, but talk of punishing Basketball Australia is preposterous. And I'm far from convinced that the players on the court, and the coaching staff, were 100% not trying to win down the stretch. You could argue on percentage of effort, but I'm not sure you can unequivocally say they were trying to throw the game. I remember tweeting at the time that Lemanis was doing a poor job in the last 5 minutes, if he was truly trying to lose. In any event, what's done is done, and it's within the rules. If FIBA doesn't it, it's incumbent upon them to do something.
B-Rock
Roar Guru
Our help D has been non existent all tournament, even when not tanking, but there has been some effort in previous games when defending on ball. Against Angola, they just waived them straight through in the 4th quarter.
B-Rock
Roar Guru
The Boomers bench players were playing hard for three and a half quarters, and the game wasnt even really close. When it was clear this team was still good enough to comfortably beat the Angolans, they started forcing passes that werent there, defense was worse than usual and shot selection deteriorated massively. This game was always going to be lost. The boomers hoped the Angolans would be good enough to beat our bench playing to win. When they weren't, the game was thrown. The turnaround was just too severe in as little as 5 minutes. I have no problem with a team resting its stars in a dead rubber following a heavy workload of 4 games in a week. But you cannot tell me the players on the floor were giving 100% in the 4th quarter and were trying to win. They clearly were not. I know this behaviour is not without precedent and that the quirks of the draw and qualifying process make this possible but neither of those reasons are an excuse. Seriously, Basketball Australia should be punished for this.
deanp
Guest
you're ruining the flow with your idleness!
deanp
Guest
streuth mate, how long is this going to take? How can we have a constructive debate in this forum when you take so long to moderate posts?
deanp
Guest
I see you can produce no logical rebuttal to my well thought out argument. Can't say I'm surprised!!
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Exactly. I don't know how you can be 'chokers' when you perennially over-achieve. Occasionally, we've been handed a reality check, rather than 'choking'.
deanp
Guest
I got impatient with the speed of moderation, so I reposted, with the extra paragraph. But kudos to you for your logical reply. You really put me in my place.
Olivia Watts
Roar Guru
It was tournament strategy of the highest calibre and, in many ways, a roll of the dice that is quintessentially Australian; pragmatic enough to accept that such a decision was necessary and courageous enough to make it in the knowledge of how seriously the decision could backfire with a loss to Turkey. I think it was an excellent decision by team management and applaud them for the foresight.
Darwin Stubbie
Guest
Oh look - you have come up with an extra paragraph of excuses ... Kudos
Darwin Stubbie
Guest
I almost feel somewhat honoured - being labelled a troll by someone who makes a pastime of it ... surely you can line up some more excuses for something that was clearly a manipulation of the tournament structure - just embrace it for what it is and stick 2 fingers up at the world .. You'd actually gain a bit more respect rather than this standard default position of trying to whitewash the obvious