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Australia vs Kazakhstan |
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FIBA World Cup qualifier, Round 2. Time: Fulltime |
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| Bendigo Arena, Bendigo, Victoria | ||
| Australia | Kazakhstan | |
| 94 | SCORE | 41 |
| 22 | Q1 | 6 |
| 19 | Q2 | 13 |
| 24 | Q3 | 15 |
| 29 | Q4 | 7 |
The Australian Boomers can all but confirm their spot in the Basketball World Cup when they take on a desperate Kazakhstan in Bendigo. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7pm (AEST).
Australia came out with a commanding victory in their last start over Qatar, eventually cruising to a 52-point victory.
Their defence was fantastic from the outset, and they simply did what was required on the offensive end of the court, kicking away from a brave, yet poor Qatar team with ease on the road.
The biggest problem for the Boomers here will be that they have flown 14 hours back from Doha and have just two days to recover.
Of course, Kazakhstan will be in a similar position, flying to Australia after a shock loss at home to Japan in their last game.
Coming into the second round of qualifiers, the Kazakhs should have been able to increase their advantage on Japan and potentially even move ahead of the Philippines on the ladder, with the top three teams guaranteed a spot in the next round of qualification.
Instead, they shot bricks all night long and eventually ended up losing by 15 points to the Japanese team, who kept their own World Cup qualification dream alive.
Despite there still being four games to play after this game, the Boomers can all but book their spot here. They sit on 13 points, with the fourth-placed Japan unlikely to beat a physical Iran team. It would mean their lead increases to four points, and with four games to go, the maximum turnaround per game is just a point, making it almost impossible for them to be knocked out.
The Boomers have made one change to their successful squad from the Qatar trip, with Chris Goulding returning from his suspension to replace Jesse Wagstaff.
The return of Goulding gives Australia what should be far too much firepower for Kazakhstan to deal with. Goulding joins Nathan Sobey, Kevin Lisch, Mitch Norton, Jason Cadee and Mitch McCarron in the back court to create a combination which should have a field day setting up Nick Kay, Daniel Johnson and Matt Hodgson in the paint.
If Kazakhstan are to be competitive, it’ll be down to Rustam Yergali to find a way to increase scoring and hang with the Aussies.
Prediction
There is almost no way the Boomers will lose this game at home. The only question is by how much.
Boomers by 27.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this World Cup qualifier from 7pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Tip-off: 7pm (AEST)
Venue: Bendigo Stadium, Bendigo
TV: Live, Fox Sports
Online: Live, Foxtel app, Foxtel now
Betting: Australia $1.01, Kazakhstan $34
Referees: Intae Hwang (Korea), Jong Kuk Kim (Korea), Imran Ali Baig (India)
Australia (expected)
Point guard: Kevin Lisch
Shooting guard: Chris Goulding
Small forward: Todd Blanchfield
Power forward: Nick Kay
Centre: Angus Brandt
Bench: Jason Cadee, Mitch Norton, Mitch McCarron, Matt Hodgson, Anthony Drmic, Daniel Johnson, Nathan Sobey
Kazakhstan (expected)
Point guard: Azim Gagodkin
Shooting guard: Rustam Yergali
Small forward: Maxim Marchuk
Power forward: Anton Bykov
Centre: Alexandr Zhigulin
Bench: Denis Degtyarev, Shaim Kuanov, Nikolay Bazhin, Vadim Chsherbak, Rustam Murzagaliyev, Askar Maidekin, Dmitriy Gavrilov
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this evening on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2018 FIBA World Cup qualifiers as the Boomers beat Kazakhstan heavily. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. I'll be back tomorrow at 4pm (AEST) for the second game of the JLT one-day cup in the cricket with Western Australia playing New South Wales. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the game Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
Kazakhstan with 34 turnovers tonight. That's... Well, that's embarrassing.
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME Australia don't need to do anything here and they won't. They just bounce the game out through Cadee and the Boomers are all but into the FIBA World Cup with this win seeing them kick ahead of the other teams in Group F. Great win for the Boomers. Two in the space of a couple of nights, both ending up more than 50 points. All too easy in the end. Australia - 94 Kazakhstan - 41
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Madekin to the free throw line here. He makes both. Australia - 94 Kazakhstan - 41
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q3 0' Australia just having a bit of fun to end this one. Goulding hits a contested three. Australia - 94 Kazakhstan - 39
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' McCarron straight up the floor now and he draws a foul. Will go to the charity strike. Australia - 89 Kazakhstan - 36
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' The visitors manage to get one bucket on the board, but then Johnson makes an easy jumper from the elbow with the defence nowhere near him. Air ball from Yergali now. Australia - 89 Kazakhstan - 36
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' McCarron makes two at the line. Australia - 87 Kazakhstan - 34
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' A foul now as McCarron brings it up the floor after yet another turnover by Kazakhstan - they have made so many tonight. Australia - 85 Kazakhstan - 34
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Kazakhstan have put up the white flag here. Another sloppy miss, but Johnson can't control the board as it goes out of bounds. Australia - 85 Kazakhstan - 34
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Johnson now out in transition and he scores. Kazakhstan another turnover before Johnson slams one home. This is all too easy. Australia - 85 Kazakhstan - 34
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Murzagliyev with a miss from deep, before Sobey brings it back up the floor and draws a foul. From the inbound it's a hand off to Sobey and he lays it in. Australia - 81 Kazakhstan - 34
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Misses at either end now, with Kazakhstan then spinning into the paint, but turning it over on a pick and roll. Norton goes the other way, but can't control the ball either. Australia - 79 Kazakhstan - 34
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 4' Kazakhstan with another turnover. Cadee takes it away, then has the one-two play with Norton to score. Australia - 79 Kazakhstan - 34
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 5' Kazakhstan with another miss, but that's gone out off Johnson. They miss off the inbound, before Blanchfield shoots for three and that's no good. Australia - 77 Kazakhstan - 34
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 5' The Kazakhs down the floor. Poor ball movement and clock management there as they have to rush a shot which misses. Now Blanchfield to Johnson who is wide open under the bucket and he scores. Australia - 77 Kazakhstan - 34
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 6' Marchuk into the paint for Kazakhstan. He misses, but the Aussies can't control the rebound. Yergali with a miss off the inbound, then Sobey turns it over. Australia - 75 Kazakhstan - 34
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 6' Kazakhstan have just got nothing here. Turnovers, missed shots. Boomers continuing to up the lead with Sobey scoring in transition now. Australia - 75 Kazakhstan - 34
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 8' Well, there isn't a whole heap of drama left in this game now. Misses both ways, then Lisch commits a foul. Australia - 69 Kazakhstan - 34