THE Australian Emus have started their campaign at the 2024 FIBA Asia Cup in perfect fashion, recording a huge win over Mongolia in their first clash of the tournament at Arena Complex on Monday night.

It was an emphatic display from the Emus in their first outing, sending a big message to the remainder of the teams in the tournament that the Aussies are right in the frame for a medal in Jordan in 2024.

The performance was boosted by a plethora of contributors from Australia, with all but one player registering a score in the huge win, showing just how deep this team is and how difficult the Emus will be to stop.

The Aussies were a dominant force from start to finish, and will move forward in the group stage with plenty of confidence after claiming such a big victory.

Australian Emus (93) def. Mongolia (32)

Although proceedings were quickly tied up at two points apiece, it did not take long for the Aussies to jump out to a hefty lead. The Emus were dominating in the paint offensively, showing no fear against the interior defence of Mongolia and showing sheer strength when attacking the basket.

Defensively, Australia was looking to press and put as much pressure on the opposition as possible. This resulted in some sloppy passes and turnovers from Mongolia, as the game slipped out of its grip at a rapid pace.

The Emus led by 24 points at the main break, and looked completely in control of the match. The skill level disparity was clearly on display, and the Emus were showing exactly what they plan on doing for the remainder of the tournament.

Mongolia simply could not find the bottom of the net, and most of its shots were well contested by the Aussies. Australia’s defensive pressure was immense, and the opposition really struggled to create good looks, with most of their possessions resulting in fumbles or forced shots.

In the end, the Emus claimed a 61-point triumph in a comfortable result, and will enter tonight’s clash with Lebanon in the best form possible.

It was a purely balanced performance from the Aussies, with 11 players scoring three or more points in a terrific display of depth. Leading the way was Jack Whitbourn, who posted 15 points on 5/10 shooting from the field and was simply too big and strong for Mongolia’s defence in the low block. He also had 10 rebounds, with six of them on the offensive end, leading the way as the Emus crashed the glass after putting up a shot.

There was a heavy emphasis on sharing the ball, particularly in transition, where drop off passes made life easier for the trailing player. Australia looked to get the highest percentage shots, and no player missed an opportunity to find the open teammate.

The Emus will now turn their attention to Lebanon tonight, looking to go two wins from two games in the group stage.