BOOMERS BOUND INTO GOLD MEDAL MATCH AT GOLD COAST COMMONWEALTH GAMES
The Boomers put on an absolute clinic at the offensive end, tearing apart Scotland’s defence with incredible passing that consistently saw every Aussie touch the ball before finding the open man for three.
Their penetration drew a crowd in the paint which meant the Boomers were almost always left free on the perimeter and they made the most of their looks, shooting 18-29 (62%) from three-point range as a team.
Seven Aussies nailed at least one triple and every member of the side got on the scoreboard as they tallied over 100 points for the first time in the tournament.
The Boomers also had 11 players record an assist, tallying 34 overall compared to Scotland who only made 14 shots for the game with the visitors’ only solace coming from the free-throw line where they out-scored Australia by 13.
Scotland attempted to restrict the Boomers with a zone defence but Daniel Kickert (12 points, five rebounds) set the tone with back-to-back three’s to start the game which were quickly followed by long bombs from Cam Gliddon (three points, five assists) and Chris Goulding.
A time-out from Scotland coach Rob Beveridge halted the offensive flow but neither team was able to score for a three-minute period with Australia’s defence proving to be just as impressive as their shooting.
They held Scotland to 2-15 from the field in the first period and took a 20-4 lead into the first break.
Scotland went on a mini 11-6 run in the second term as some shots began to fall but Angus Brandt (14 points, six rebounds) matched anything they threw at the Boomers while Jason Cadee (14 points, two assists) notched double-figures without missing a three-pointer.
Any confidence that the Scots had gained from the second term was quickly eradicated after the half-time break as the Boomers went on a devastating 28-2 run.
Goulding (15 points, two assists) caught fire with three three’s and Nathan Sobey added nine points and six assists overall before Jesse Wagstaff took over, scoring a tournament-high 17 points to lead all scorers.
Lucas Walker (six points, two assists) then completed a perfect morning for the Aussies as he became the last Boomer to hit a basket as they cruised into the gold medal game.
Find the box score here.
The Boomers now await the result of the second Semi-Final between New Zealand and Canada to find out their opponent for tomorrow’s gold medal playoff which tips off at 11.30am AEST while the Opals play for gold against England tonight at 8.30pm.
Australian Boomers and Opals Schedule at the 2018 Commonwealth Games (all times AEST):
April 14 Gold Medal: Opals vs. England at 8.30pm
April 15 Gold Medal: Boomers vs. New Zealand/Canada at 11.30am
Basketball Australia
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