Australia have moved to the top of Group B in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers with a 16-point win over the Philippines in Melbourne.
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Final score
Australia 84
Philippines 68
Australia will face their toughest test yet en route to the 2019 Basketball World Cup when they play the Philippines in Melbourne. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:30pm (AEDT).
After two dominant wins, over Chinese Taipei and Japan, at the back end of last year, the two remaining undefeated teams in Group B will face off for the first time.
Australia are expected to breeze through this first phase of qualification, with the top three teams from each group then moving onto a more challenging second round.
With points carried over from the first to the second round though, every game is crucial and both these sides have been at the top of their game so far.
Australia and the Philippines are leaps and bounds ahead of Japan and Chinese Taipei, so the winner of this game – and the return fixture in Bocaue during July – will have a huge advantage going into the second round of qualification.
Australia’s height advantage on the floor should give them an advantage. Playing both games at home during this window makes it pivotal for the Boomers and, as they did against Chinese Taipei and Japan in their opening games, they should have a field day in the paint.
Daniel Kickert, Angus Brandt and Matt Hodgson are expected to lock down the paint, allowing Kickert to stretch the floor slightly with his shooting range, and for the athleticism of forwards Brad Newley and Mitch Creek to go to work.
Add that to the return of Olympian Kevin Lisch in the guard spot and you get an idea of the challenge the Philippines are facing.
The visitors kicked off their campaign with an important road win over Japan in Tokyo, the match going to the wire. They would have been more concerned by the scare Chinese Taipei were able to give them though and if they want to compete with the Boomers, huge improvements are needed.
While Andrey Blatche will need to take the team on his back and do it all in the paint, they need to try and stretch the floor as much as possible, making the Aussies revert to small ball if possible.
For that to happen, their three-point shooting must be the key weapon, with Jayson William, Calvin Abueva and captain Gabe Norwood leading the charge.
Prediction
Australia’s home-court advantage and huge height difference should see them get the job done easily against the basketball-mad nation.
Australia by 14.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores and coverage of this World Cup qualifier 7:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment below.
Nudge
Guest
Great work Scott. Not a bad prediction as well mate
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this evening on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2018 FIBA World Cup as Australia defeat the Philippines by 16 points to move outright first in Group B. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. Sam Walker will be with you on Sunday from 3pm (AEDT) as the Boomers take on Chinese Taipei. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the game Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
Australia will now hang around in Melbourne as they get set to take on Chinese Taipei on Sunday. They are expected to win that one pretty easily after handing Taipei a belting away from home in the first qualification match at the back end of last year. The Philippines will head back home where they take on Japan Sunday night.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Gliddon with 16, Brandt 13 and Lisch 12 points. Mitch Creek also picked up a double-double, but it's undoubted that Gliddon was the best on court this evening. He made a stack of crunch shots For the Philippines, Fajardo was the best with 15 points. Abueva played excellently and their main man, Blatche started expertly, but just ran out of steam to keep the visitors in the contest. Nonetheless, they still sit in second place and will host the Boomers in Manila during the next window of qualifiers in June and July.
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME That'll do it. No time for the Aussies to do anything and they take a big 16-point win over the Philippines to go outright top of Group B in the World Cup Qualifiers. The Philippines were really good early in this one, but they just didn't have another gear to go up once the Australians got rolling in the second half. Plenty of concerns for the Boomers, but they will try to forget the first half and play exactly as they did during the second 20 minutes. Australia - 84 Philippines - 68
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Abueva makes one. Australia - 84 Philippines - 68
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' The Philippines working it around, but that was scrappy as they turn it over. Sobey up the floor and he has it poked over the sideline. From the inbound it's Norton going into the paint, but that pass is taken away. Tratter back up the floor to Abueva who draws the foul. Six seconds on the clock. Australia - 84 Philippines - 67
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Now we have a timeout called with 37 seconds to go. Australia - 84 Philippines - 67
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Somehow, Abueva got an unsportsmanlike foul out of that. I don't really know how... Okay then. Anyway, he misses both. Australia - 84 Philippines - 67
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Fajardo into the paint now and he misses on the spin around, before McCarron goes baseline and turns it over. Quickly back down the floor and Tratter misses. Offensive rebound and then it's out off Australia as Norton deflects a pass. From te inbound it's an off the ball foul and now there are words being exchanged between Sobey and Abueva. Australia - 84 Philippines - 67
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Brandt good on both. Australia - 84 Philippines - 67
Scott Pryde
Expert
CROWD: 6,504
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q2 1' The Boomers work it back up the floor through Sobey, then Brandt goes to the bucket and misses, but he is fouled and will go to the strike. Brandt has been seriously aggressive tonight. Australia - 82 Philippines - 67
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' The Philippines working it up through Abueva, then it's into Fajardo who shoots and scores from the post. Australia - 82 Philippines - 67
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' The Philippines call timeout. It'll take a miracle from here. Australia - 82 Philippines - 65
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Cameron Gliddon has been absolutely sensational this evening. He takes a step to the left this time, finding a bit of space and dropping another three! Australia - 82 Philippines - 65
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' The Boomers into the paint and that's a nice move, but Brandt misses trying to drop it in. Philippines back the other way and Alas shakes the defence before dropping it in. Australia - 79 Philippines - 65
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Gliddon feeds Brandt in the paint this time and he makes the hook shot out of the lane before there is a real scrap for the ball. Eventually Australia come up with it and Gliddon slows down. Australia - 79 Philippines - 63
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' A full court press set here with Alas up the floor for the Philippines before Tratter makes a bucket from the high post. Australia - 77 Philippines - 63