Giddey makes World Cup history for Boomers in Georgia win amid puzzling call on Aussie young gun

Australia has ended its FIBA World Cup marketing campaign on a constructive observe, dominating Georgia to report a 100-84 win on Sunday night time.

After battling their exterior taking pictures all match, the Boomers discovered success from downtown in opposition to Georgia as Patty Mills led the scorers for Australia with 19 factors.

Josh Giddey, in the meantime, capped off a powerful match from the 20-year-old as he scored 15 factors to go along with 4 assists and two rebounds.

According to ESPN commentator John Casey, Giddey turned the youngest-ever participant to guide the scoring for his nation on the World Cup after ending with 97 in complete.

Dante Exum was one other shining mild to emerge for the Australians and had his greatest displaying of the World Cup as he scored 18 factors whereas Duop Reath (16 factors) was 3-of-3 from deep.

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The Boomers jumped out to a 23-17 after a sloppy first quarter which noticed each groups flip the ball over six occasions.

Giddey led the way in which for Australia early, placing up six factors to go along with one help as he used his dimension to get to the rim and rating the Boomers’ first two discipline objectives of the sport.

Giddey was making an affect as a passer too, brilliantly discovering Mills on a backdoor reduce as Australia went forward 6-4.

Georgia was largely capable of hold it shut within the opening quarter, with Australia’s 3-point taking pictures the distinction as Joe Ingles, Reath, Nick Kay and Josh Green all made pictures from deep.

Georgia, alternatively, made simply 20 per cent of its 3-point makes an attempt within the first quarter.

The Boomers shortly prolonged their lead early within the second too, with Exum making a right away affect as he scored Australia’s first six factors of the interval.

“That’s one positive you can take away,” five-time NBL championship coach Trevor Gleeson mentioned of Exum.

“Dante’s performance has been first-class in every game, especially when its under pressure, Dante has been coming good.

“He’s been under the post there making some efforts, defensively he can pick it up full-court. Very impressed with his World Cup.”

Matisse Thybulle, in the meantime, was inflicting issues for Georgia along with his size on the defensive finish and as Australia pushed its lead out to double figures at 34-23.

Turnovers had been all that was actually protecting it shut as each Ingles and Mills coughed up possession within the area of 30 seconds, with Georgia going up the court docket and capitalising on each events.

Mills although shortly made up for his error by launching from deep and draining a 3-pointer, extending Australia’s result in 42-31 earlier than making one other 3-pointer quickly after.

The 3-pointers simply saved falling, one thing Brian Goorjian would have cherished to see given Australia’s struggles with exterior taking pictures all through the match.

The Boomers completed the half with 10 3-pointers within the first half, seeing Australia take a 54-37 buffer off the again of 16 factors from Mills who went 3-of-6 from downtown however did even have 5 turnovers.

Interestingly, each Dyson Daniels and Chris Goulding noticed zero minutes within the opening half regardless of Sunday’s sport presenting the Boomers with an opportunity to look in direction of Paris and the long run by experimenting with totally different line-ups.

One of the largest positives to come back out of a disappointing match for Australia is the way in which Giddey has developed his sport, utilizing his dimension and physicality to claim himself on defenders.

That development continued within the third quarter as Giddey was closely concerned early with 4 factors and help and a rebound.

Reath additionally made an affect on each ends with a block and his third 3-pointer of the night time as Australia maintained a snug lead, up 63-46.

The Boomers additionally cleaned up the turnovers, recording simply two within the quarter and took a 79-67 benefit into the ultimate quarter of the sport after extra environment friendly 3-point taking pictures.

Georgia by no means seemed any hope of getting in touching distance, with Australia working away 100-84 winners as Luka Liklikadze was ejected within the fourth quarter for his second technical foul.

While the Boomers ended the match on a constructive observe, it was unusual to see each Daniels and Goulding play restricted minutes in Sunday night time’s sport.

Daniels specifically shapes as a vital a part of Australia’s plans at Paris and into the long run and would have benefited from extending enjoying time after not getting a look-in all match.

Gleeson mentioned at halftime he hoped to see Daniels and Goulding get early minutes within the second half.

Daniels had an early spotlight when he was introduced into the sport with three minutes left, stepping into the paint and linking with Kay for the end.

The New Orleans Pelicans guard solely performed three minutes although whereas Goulding was given solely 4 minutes himself regardless of the outcome seemingly being wrapped up a lot earlier.

“Daniels is really important going forward and if you can put some experience into him on the floor in pressure situations it’s going to be a bonus,” Gleeson mentioned.

“That’s his job, is to be a shooter and it’s hard to be a shooter on the bench,” he added of Goulding.