THE Australian Boomers played their final game of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, defeating Georgia by 16 points on the final day of the second round on Sunday night.

Following Friday night’s loss to Slovenia, the Boomers found themselves unable to advance to the quarterfinals with two wins and two losses next to their name. Regardless of that result, Australia still had the chance to finish the tournament in style with a matchup against Georgia.

The Aussies produced an excellently balanced team performance in their final outing, with five players scoring in double-digits over the course of the match.

Australia delivered a strong start, with the Boomers getting out to an early lead, a factor that has cost the team in the past. However, Georgia was still able to remain in the match with some strong drives inside the paint in transition.

Both teams turned the ball over six times in the first quarter in a sloppy start to the game, but the Aussies still led by six at the opening change. Joshua Giddey was the star of the show to start the game, getting the Boomers going with the first two buckets of the game.

The second quarter saw Dante Exum take control of the contest, scoring the first six points of the term as he showcased a level of three-point shooting that was previously unseen from the guard at the tournament.

Defensively, Matisse Thybulle was hurting Georgia’s offensive sets with his size and ability to poke the ball free. The Boomers were up by 16 points at half time and had full control of the game.

Australia came out of halftime still on top on both ends of the court, as the Boomers extended its lead out to 18 points heading into the final change, with plenty of players getting involved.

The game got slightly chippy in the second half, and Luka Liklikadze was ejected in the fourth quarter with his second technical foul. Despite trying to remain in touch in the final 10 minutes of the game, Georgia could never get within striking distance, falling to the Boomers, 100-84.

Patty Mills led the way on the scoring front for the Boomers, with 16 of his 19 points coming in a red-hot first half, while Exum provided a crucial spark for Australia with 18 points of his own. Big man Duop Reath knocked down all three of his triples en route to 16 points, Giddey capped off a remarkable tournament with 15 points (7/9 FG), while Joe Ingles bounced back from a quiet outing with 10 points.

Ingles’ Orlando Magic teammate Goga Bitadze was the star of the show for Georgia in a tough loss, producing a game-high 20 points.

In the other results to unfold on Sunday, Italy was too good for Puerto Rico with a 16-point win, Greece was upset by Montenegro to the tune of four points, while Latvia thumped Brazil by 20 points. Germany blew out Slovenia by 29 points, while Serbia was clinical with a 33-point win over the Dominican Republic.

The final two games of the day saw a pair of stunning upsets. The United States were handed their first loss of the World Cup, with the powerhouse defeated by Lithuania to the tune of six points, while Canada held on for a three-point win over world number one Spain.