THE AUSTRALIAN Boomers were brilliant in their first clash of the second window in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, opening their account for 2025 with a big win over Indonesia at Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Centre on Thursday night.

The Boomers were bringing in a squad stacked with National Basketball League (NBL) talent, and even had a pair of young guns in Luke Fennell and Jacob Furphy representing their country at international level, with the latter earning a start.

In an affair that proved to be one-sided, the Boomers dominated from start to finish, remaining undefeated in the tournament and showcased the depth of talent in the Australian basketball system as of 2025.

Australian Boomers (109) def. Indonesia (58)

It was a win built on the back of a near-perfect first quarter from the Aussies, who battened down the hatches defensively and held the opposition to just four points in the first 10 minutes in a masterfully restrictive display. The Boomers led by 18 points at the first change, and looked in complete control for the match.

The Aussies built on their hot start, winning the remaining three quarters and although Indonesia did improve its output for the remainder, that was bested by the hosts, who reached triple figures on the back of a balanced team performance.

The Boomers won every key statistical category, and created plenty of offence from their defensive intensity. They forced Indonesia into a whopping 17 turnovers, and won the points off turnover count 21-0.

Although the Aussies did not light the world on fire with their efficiency (46.7 per cent from the field), it was the sheer amount of scoring opportunities they created that helped them gain ascendancy within the match. They also won the second chance scoring count 26-2 and simply kept their offensive rolling through pure volume.

Leading the way for the Aussies was Elijah Pepper, who showed plenty of aggression with ball in hand on his way to 18 points, which was the most of any player in the match. Not far behind him was big man David Okwera, who flirted with a double-double with 15 points (5/6 FG, 2/3 3PT), eight rebounds and two steals.

While the young guns in Fennell (eight points, 2/4 3PT) and Furphy (three points, two rebounds) did not light the world on fire, the experience will be crucial in their development and they certainly did not look out of place at international level. The duo loom as crucial pieces of Australia’s basketball future, and Thursday was a glimpse into their future on the global stage.

The Boomers will play their final game of the Qualifiers again in Gippsland on Sunday afternoon, this time taking on Thailand as they gear up for the official tournament in Saudi Arabia later this year.