THE AUSTRALIAN Boomers made a successful return to the Philippines, claiming a 27-point win at the 2026 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Sunday in their first outing in the country since an infamous 2018 encounter.

The Boomers headed to play the Philippines on their own turf since the 2018 clash between the two sides which was eventually called off due to an all-in brawl. Although the fans were still rallying behind their side, it was a much more positive atmosphere at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Boomers were coming off a 13-point win over Guam on Thursday night, and were adding even more firepower for their second clash on Sunday afternoon, with the additions of Mitch Creek and Jack White gave the Aussies some experience for their next match.

Australia was simply a class above against the Philippines, showing plenty of offensive firepower in the big victory, and again it was the National Basketball League (NBL) guns who were leading the way on the scoring front.

Australian Boomers (93) def. Philippines (66)

The Boomers made it two wins from two games at the Asian Qualifiers, proving far too good for the home side and showing why they are still one of the most dangerous sides at the upcoming global tournament, which will take place next year.

For the second time in as many matches, it was the duo of Tanner Krebs and Elijah Pepper that led from the front for the Aussies. Last outing, the pair combined for 53 points in the win over Guam, and this time they poured in a collective 46 points and nine three-pointers as both gear up for their respective sides in the upcoming NBL postseason.

It was admittedly a tough start to proceedings for the home side, who did not find the bottom of the net for the first four minutes of the match. Despite both teams struggling to shoot the ball efficiently, the Philippines were still hanging around, courtesy of a 10-2 run late in the first piece.

However, Pepper shot the Boomers to a rock solid lead in the second quarter, and by the main change he already had 12 points to his name and had led Australia to a five-point buffer. The hosts were certainly still within striking distance, but it was evident that the Aussies had slightly taken control of the contest to close out the first half.

After a closely fought first half, the game was broken open in the third term when Australia dropped 30 points in 10 minutes to storm away on the scoreboard. Taking full advantage of their dominance on the offensive boards, the Boomers consistently generated second-chance scoring opportunities after half time, and closed out the contest strongly.

Pepper ended the match with 28 points on 5/14 shooting from behind the arc, showing plenty of confidence in his shot from long range, while Krebs was important for the second time in two matches, ending the contest with 18 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals on 4/8 three-point shooting.

Addition Mitch Creek was impressive after being injected into the lineup, posting 13 points, six boards and four dimes, while Tom Wilson continued his strong run of form with 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists, suggesting he could be in for a strong NBL postseason with Melbourne United in the coming weeks.