Australia’s excellent campaign so far in the men’s basketball continued with a six-point win over Antipodean rivals New Zealand on Saturday night.
Final score
Australia 79
New Zealand 73
Both the Australian Boomers and New Zealand Tall Blacks got their 2018 Commonwealth Games campaigns off to fantastic starts, but playing each other will present a much tougher challenge. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 9pm (AEST).
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Australia and New Zealand, almost without a shadow of a doubt are the strongest two sides at the tournament, even without any NBA or European-based players.
The Boomers got things underway with a drubbing of Canada yesterday, but even then, in front of a solid crowd at the Cairns Convention Centre, they didn’t look themselves.
There was rust, there was some poor offensive execution and at times it looked like the plan they had in place simply wasn’t working.
At one point in the first quarter, they even found themselves behind, but managed to recover, putting on a 15-0 run thanks to the presence of some of their bench players including Angus Brandt. From that, the Boomers never looked back as they skipped away with a big win over the youthful Canadian side.
The Boomers, also chock-a-block full of NBL talent, smacked Nigeria in their first game. The 110-65 victory was reasonably well contested for the first half, before the Tall Blacks put on a third-quarter scoreline of 31-8.
It was the first time in the match they genuinely seemed to gel as a unit for an entire quarter and it showed the team are capable of making a very strong run against the Boomers outfit.
The experienced Thomas Abercrombie led the way, dropping 21 points, while fellow forward Mika Vukona was very strong at both ends in the paint. With Rob Loe and Alex Pledger forming a two-man centre rotation, it’ll be tough for the Boomers to dominate the glass like they did against Canada.
Without that, more emphasis will be placed on their guard play and being able to get over the top of a weaker New Zealand backcourt, led by Reuben Te Rangi and Shea Ili.
Late last year, the teams faced off at the FIBA Asia Cup in the semi-finals. On that occasion, the Boomers came away with victory and it’s hard to pinpoint what may have changed since then for either side.
Prediction
As evidenced at least year’s FIBA Asia Cup, the Boomers should be one step ahead of their neigbours and as a result, will pull away with a victory here to all but lock in top spot of Group A and the easiest possible progression to the tournament final.
Australia by 14.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Commonwealth Games basketball from 9pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Damo
Guest
Thanks again Scott. As you said a win is a win but the backcourt has big problems. Great of Kay to hit those open ones but what was TeRangi doing carrying the ball in a team of Ili and Kenny? Would like to see some changes next game. I'm starting to lose confidence in Lemanis.....can he coach a team of NBA players at the world champs?
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this evening (and putting up with the somewhat limited coverage earlier in the game) here on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Hopefully you enjoyed it. I'll be on with more basketball at 6:30pm (AEST) tomorrow as the Australian Opals take on England. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the game Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME New Zealand can't make it happen in the final minute an it's going to be the Aussies with a six-point win after trailing at all three changes. The Aussies go 2 and 0 and will now surely finish top of their group. There are still plenty of issues to sort out with a poor start to the match and a starting five not carrying a great deal of cohesion. hey relied on some individual performances from Nick Kay and Chris Goulding among others, but a win is a win. New Zealand were pretty solid and can hold their head up after that, knowing they will likely get another chance against the green and gold in the final with Shea Ili and Reuben Te Rangi both playing well tonight. Australia - 79 New Zealand - 73
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Timeout. Australia - 79 New Zealand - 73
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Te Rangi misses the first. He deliberately misses the second, then throws up a three, but it's no good. Out off Australia. 7.5 seconds to go. Australia - 79 New Zealand - 73
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Australia run the clock down here, using it all. Goulding with a catch and shoot three, but it's no good. Vukona brings it forward and New Zealand using too much time here. Abercrombie into Te Rangi who goes up to try and lay it in, Sobey coming through and making heavy contact. Te Rangi to the line. Australia - 79 New Zealand - 73
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Nice ball to Te Rangi now and he scores baseline. Australia - 79 New Zealand - 73
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Norton makes one. Australia - 79 New Zealand - 71
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Australia can more or less wrap it up here. They run the clock and Kay goes to Goulding with the shot clock running down He goes to work and misses, but is fouled by Loe. Australia - 78 New Zealand - 71
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' New Zealand need a bucket here, down by 7 with 98 seconds to go. The inbound from Vukona finds Ili, then it's Loe backing down and missing the turnaround hook. He should have scored that. Australia - 78 New Zealand - 71
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Abercrombie a missed three and now there is a tangle under the glass between Wagstaff and Vukona. Neither player looks all that healthy. Wagstaff heading off. Australia - 78 New Zealand - 71
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Big possession here. Australia bring it up the floor and it's Goulding now faking a pass, driving, then kicking out to Wagstaff. He finds Kay on the wing who lights up and hits the THREEEEEE! Kay has never played so well in the green and gold. Australia - 78 New Zealand - 71
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Ili with a jumper from the top of the key. That's no good and Loe elevates over the Aussies to get the rebound, but is called for an over the back foul. From the inbound it's Te Rangi to Abercrombie who is pinged for an offensive foul. Australia - 75 New Zealand - 71
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Wagstaff makes both, then Goulding gets a steal from Te Rangi. He finds Kay who slams it home and all of a sudden Australia are back up four. Australia - 75 New Zealand - 71
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Australia have a ball poked out. From the inbound it's Wagstaff and he is fouled by Abercrombie. He will go to the line with Australia in the bonus. Australia - 71 New Zealand - 71
Damo
Guest
Quality increased significantly in the last few minutes. This game showing how hard reffing the NBL actually is.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Andrej Lemanis has seen enough. He calls for time. Australia - 71 New Zealand - 71
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Vukona gets around Nick Kay this time. He goes baseline, makes the reverse lay up and we are all tied up again with three to play. Australia - 71 New Zealand - 71
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Ili! He hits a jumper from the foul line. Now it's Wagstaff double teamed before Cadee misses the three. Australia - 71 New Zealand - 69