THE Australian Boomers emerged victorious in the first game of their FIBA World Cup Qualifying matchup against China at John Cain Arena on Thursday night, in an entertaining battle.

Hosting the home court advantage, the Aussies got off to a strong start in the first half, grabbing a fair lead at the main break. However, China fought back in the third term to get back in the game and make things interesting heading into the final term. In the end, the Boomers performed in the clutch to hold off a brave effort from the visitors to claim a seven-point victory in the closing minutes of the game.

For the victors, captain Matthew Dellavedova led the way with an equal game-high 16 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists. When the Boomers needed a bucket in the third term, Dellavedova was the one that was able to conjure an answer for Australia, nailing an important three. Fellow guard Mitch McCarron also impressed, finishing with 13 points and six steals, demonstrating his impressive balance of offence and defence, always staying in front of whoever he was guarding.

South East Melbourne Phoenix big man Zhou Qi was eye-catching for the visiting side, providing a spark on both ends of the court. He was the only player to produce a double-double, finishing with 16 points and 17 rebounds in an impactful showing.

Australian Boomers (76) def. China (69)

The Boomers were able to just sneak ahead in the opening term, as both teams looked to find their rhythm in the opening minutes. Todd Blanchfield nailed a nice three at the end of the term to give the Aussies a two-point scoreboard advantage at the first break.

The second term was all one way traffic as the Boomers truly got on top of their opponents with a dominant period. Their offence began to roll, particularly from behind the arc where Dellavedova and McCarron were able to cash in and give the Aussies a scoring boost. At the main break, Australia led by nine points and looked in prime position to extend that margin in the second half.

The Aussies started the third term as they finished the second, pushing their advantage out to double-digits. However, it did not last long as China produced its best patch of the game to close out the period. Zhou was dominant on both ends as he affected the shot quality of the Boomers while also storming down the other end to score inside. It was just a two-point game heading into the final quarter, setting up a blockbuster period.

The fourth term saw the game tied on a number of occasions, as China looked to take control of the contest. While it was a valiant effort, the visitors could not make the most of their dominance on the offensive glass, missing a number of good looks. To add insult to injury, the Boomers were able to head down the other end and score through a number of sources. The dagger proved to be from Jack White, who stripped China’s ball carrier before bursting down the other end on the fast break and throwing down the slam to guide the Aussies to a seven-point triumph.