A TERRIFIC shooting performance from in-form veteran Chris Goulding has spurred the Australian Boomers to a thumping victory over Thailand in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers on Thursday night.

With the National Basketball League (NBL) on hold for international break this week, Goulding and several of his peers in the competition headed to Bangkok to help the Aussies qualify for next year’s Asia Cup, and faced Thailand in their first clash.

Despite the opposition giving the Boomers some early troubles and making the contest close in the first quarter, the Aussies broke away for a commanding 53-point triumph to get their campaign underway in strong fashion.

Thailand (48) def. by Australian Boomers (101)

Although the Aussies were overwhelming favourites coming into the clash, Thailand played strongly in the first quarter, inspired by the home crowd to lead 22-15 in the first quarter. However, the Boomers’ class shone through to close out the period, and a Goulding three-ball cut the deficit to just two points to snatch some momentum by the first change.

Goulding continued to inspire with some devastating shooting from behind the arc, and the Boomers began to truly get rolling. Australia went on a remarkable 19-0 run, led by its veteran shooter, who had 21 points and seven three-pointers at the main break, as his Boomers led 50-31.

The Aussies kept that momentum rolling in the third quarter, and Goulding’s teammates began to chime in with some big buckets of their own. The 36-year-old knocked down his eighth triple early in the term and the Boomers led by 33 points at the final change.

The fourth term was more of the one-sided action that had taken place since the third term, and the Boomers began to truly flex their muscles. Australia outscored Thailand 28-8 en route to a commanding 53-point win.

Goulding finished the match with 27 points on 9/14 shooting from behind the arc, with all of his makes from the field coming from three-point land. Fresh off a 46-point eruption with Melbourne United in the NBL, the experienced campaigner has translated that form to international level.

Another shining light for the match was the performance of 20-year-old Ben Henshall, who stuffed the stat sheet in a breakout international performance. In the win over Thailand, the young gun delivered 12 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, bringing his strong form from the NBL to the Boomers.

Talented scorer Dejan Vasiljevic poured in 14 points and four assists of his own, while Next Star Rocco Zikarsky did his NBA Draft stock no harm with 11 points and four rebounds, including a thunderous slam on a Thailand defender.

The Boomers will next be in action when they face Korea in Goyang on Sunday, before NBL action resumes next weekend.