THE AUSTRALIAN Boomers delivered a commanding performance at State Basketball Centre, downing Bahrain to the tune of 33 points on Thursday night as part of a FIBA World Cup Qualifier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a matchup that the Aussies were expected to win, given the opposition currently sits at the bottom of Group F, while the Boomers are gunning for a spot in the FIBA World Cup. The home side broke away in quarter number two with a dominant showing, and then pushed the lead out further with an emphatic final term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Boomers were led by a few eye-catching performances from some of the NBL’s best, including Isaac Humphries<\/a>. The big man was as impactful as ever for Australia, finishing the match with 18 points on 8\/10 shooting from the field including a perfect one of one from behind the arc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fellow NBL veteran Todd Blanchfield<\/a> led all comers on the scoring front with a game-high 20 points (7\/11 FG) to go with five rebounds and four assists. The forward has had plenty of experience at FIBA level, and it came to the forefront on Thursday. Nick Kay<\/a> (13 points) and Rhys Vague<\/a> (13 points) rounded out the double digit-scorers for the Boomers, while guard Mitch McCarron<\/a> did as he always does, impacting the game in a number of ways with eight boards and five dimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Bahrain, Devon Chism<\/strong> was the spark over the course of the match, producing an impressive double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds, both of which were team-high totals. He shot 5\/15 from the field, looking to create scoring opportunities whenever he got the ball. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While his statistics may not show the reasoning, forward Ali Hasan <\/strong>seemed to conjure a bit of cult following over the course of the match. The crowd erupted almost every time he touched the ball, and a smile from Hasan and his teammates followed shortly after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Aussies shot better from the field as a whole, but the difference from behind the arc was the biggest discrepancy. The Boomers shot 40 per cent from three-point territory compared to Bahrain’s 23, making the most of the looks created by quick ball movement, and the lineup’s ability to stretch the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ball movement has always been a key pillar of Australia’s game, and it was evident that Dean Vickerman <\/em><\/strong>had instilled that in the side once again, winning the assist count 26-11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Boomers will hit the court on Sunday at 3pm to take on Kazhakstan at State Basketball Center once again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n