THE AUSTRALIAN Crocs were challenged, but proved too good for Guam when the two sides clashed at the group stage of the 2025 FIBA Under-17 Oceania Cup yesterday, advancing through to the quarter-finals.

The Crocs were coming off a hefty win over Fiji on Monday morning, and were still cemented as the team to beat at the tournament, which is taking place in Samoa this week. Their second and final matchup in the group stage was against Guam on Wednesday afternoon, with the Aussies expected to get the job done once again and advance to the next stage of the tournament.

It proved to be a physical encounter, with the two teams throwing their weight around as Guam attempted to slow down to the scoring power of Australia, which has caused opposition teams plenty of headaches over the past 12 months between the Asia Cup and the Oceania Cup.

However, the Crocs were too good for the opposition on the day, always keeping their noses in front and keeping their undefeated run rolling with a 43-point triumph, setting up a blockbuster quarter final clash against their Tasman rival.

The Crocs set the tone in the opening quarter, outscoring the opposition 32-18 to take a double-digit lead into the first change. Guam was held to just 10 points in the second frame which allowed the Aussies to push the lead out to 25-point lead at the main break, and it was all unfolding as expected given the strength of Australia’s roster.

Guam put in an improved effort in the third frame, looking much more impactful on the offensive end as it looked to up the level of physicality in the match. Although the margin was stretched out to 31 at the final break, it was still a better effort from the underdogs. However, the Crocs put the nail in the coffin with another strong performance in the fourth quarter to cruise home to victory.

For the second match in a row, Isaac Riddle was Australia’s leading scorer, finishing with a game-high 19 points while shooting efficiently once again, nailing eight of his 11 attempts from the field. He is consistently finding the bottom of the net and has emerged as one of the most talented scorers in the tournament.

Koby Moir made a terrific impact on both ends of the floor, pouring in 15 points (6/7 FG) to go with two blocks and some terrific defensive rotations. His energy provided a true spark for the Crocs and his teammates followed suit. Jai Fa’ale was as reliable as ever on the scoring front, posting 13 points, while Harry Cook was a monster on the glass, pulling down 14 rebounds to go with seven points and four assists.

The Crocs will now turn their attention to this evening’s clash against New Zealand in the quarter finals, with the winner of this clash likely to finish the tournament holding up the trophy, so the stakes are incredibly high.