Matthew Dellavedova and Thon Maker will turn out for Australia in the NBA off-season as they look to start the second round of FIBA World Cup qualifiers from the strongest possible position on a trip to Japan. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 8:40pm (AEST).
It’s impossible that Australia won’t qualify for the second round of qualification, even if they were to lose both games in this final qualification window
Of course, it’s not just qualification that’s the issue. With points earned from the first round carrying over into the second, progressing on the back of as many wins as possible is the aim.
Australia are four wins from their four games so far, getting the better of Chinese Taipei home and away, as well as the Philippines and Japan at home.
This final window of matches was always going to be the toughest though, with games away against Japan and the Philippines in three days, their game against the Philippines coming on Monday.
The Boomers had no trouble at home against Japan, picking up a big 24-point win last November, but playing away may cause more issues.
Asian nations have a habit of packing arenas and making it tough on opposing teams, but the NBL squad had a successful trip to China in the last few weeks ago, so confidence will be high.
Where they will excel is with their height advantage. In the paint, Maker, Angus Brandt and Daniel Kickert (likely to come from the bench) will lead the way and should dominate the glass, as they have done in all four of their matches so far.
On the other foot, Japan may find it hard to score through the ruthless defence of Dellavaedova and their inside men. If the Japanese are going to win, it’s going to take some great creativity and a willingness to scrap in the paint.
Despite being yet to win a game in this qualification campaign, their two losses at home (by six to the Philippines and one to Chinese Taipei) were close and hard-fought battles, something they will be looking to replicate here in a desperate bid to qualify.
Japan are likely to need wins in both of their games, so will come out swinging here, but it just doesn’t seem all that likely even if star guard Ryusei Shinoyama has a blinder.
Prediction
With Dellavedova and Maker back, as well as a more or less full strength NBL line-up, the Aussies will crush Japan by a pretty similar margin to their first outing.
Australia by 25.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this FIBA World Cup qualifier from 8:40pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this evening here on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2018 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. I'll be back on Monday night at 9:30pm (AEST) for the Philippines and Australia, in what now shapes as a huge contest in front of 55,000 fans which will decide who finishes top of the group. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the game then Roarers? I thought I'd seen it all with the World Cup upsets, but this is quite stunning. An Australian team with Dellavedova and Maker have lost to the 48th-ranked Japan.
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME Goulding makes one, misses the second and then he makes a long-range three, but the clock stops with just four tenths of a second left. Australia can't do anything about it now. One-point down, the clock runs out and WHAT AN UPSET! Fazekas and Hachimura have led Japan to a famous one-point victory. Japan - 79 Australia - 78
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Australia inbound to Goulding. He was looking for a three, but couldn't even get close to a shot before Takeuchi fouled him. He will go to the line for 2 with 9.9 seconds on the clock. Japan - 79 Australia - 74
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Another timeout, but Australia have quite literally imploded here. Kay's shot was absolutely horrendous. Japan - 79 Australia - 74
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' The Aussies work it around from the inbound. It's Kay taking the shot and that's no good. He misses, Hachimura scores on the fast break and that will be the end of that! 11 seconds to go and a five-point game. Japan - 79 Australia - 74
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Timeout. Boilover right on the cards here with 7,500 fans making plenty of noise. Japan - 77 Australia - 74
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Fazekas into the paint. He turns it over, then Australia go back up the floor and Nick Kay! He misses a three. That's bad, but the rebound has spilt out to Sinoyama who goes racing up the court, just holding off the Aussie defence to lay it in. Three-point game and just 20 seconds on the clock. Australia are in some serious trouble here. Japan - 77 Australia - 74
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Dellavedova along the baseline here before he flips a ball off to Kay who scores. 46 seconds to go. Japan - 75 Australia - 74
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1 Japan with some great ball movement here, but Australia got lucky there with Shinoyama missing. Ball out off Japan! Japan - 75 Australia - 72
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Timeout Japan. Japan - 75 Australia - 72
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Australia have missed four shots. Offensive boards galore, but they just can't make it count and all of a sudden Japan are right on top of this contest. Fazekas misses though at the end of the shot clock with the ball out off Maker. Japan - 75 Australia - 72
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Fazekas draws a foul. From the inbound it's Hachimura going baseline and he drops it in on the reverse lay up! What a play. Japan - 75 Australia - 72
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Dellavedova makes both. Japan - 73 Australia - 72
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' The Japanese with some lovely ball movement, but the shot misses. Maker goes up the floor, falls over, then McCarron misses a three. Dellavedova grabs the offensive rebound in a real scrap before he draws a foul. Japan - 73 Australia - 71
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Maker makes the extra. Japan - 73 Australia - 71
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Shinoyama with a bucket for Japan now as he goes straight back into the teeth of the defence before Maker takes them on, draws the foul and lays it in. Japan - 73 Australia - 70
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' A miss for Japan, then it's THON MAKER! He got the offensive bound, got it back at the other end of the court and THREW THAT THING DOWN. Japan - 71 Australia - 68
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 4' Hachimura scores for Japan, then it's Nick Kay dropping one in off the window for Australia. Still a five-point game. Japan - 71 Australia - 66
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 4' Goaltending here. Maker knocks the shot from Fazekas out of the basket and we have a timeout for Australia. Japan - 69 Australia - 64