HOW BLOODY GOOD WAS THAT!
The Australian Boomers have absolutely pushed the almighty Team USA to the brink of monumental upset in the men’s basketball competition at the Rio Olympic Games.
The Boomers’ defence caused all sorts of issues for Team USA, but ultimately their talent and polish proved too much; the Boomers falling agonisingly short in a highly competitive and entertaining 98–88 USA win.
Australia provided the US’s first real challenge of the international tournament, with the NBA powerhouse steamrolling through prior opponents. But the scrappy, NBA-hardened Australian lineup was up to the task of facing the US, with Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, and Andrew Bogut producing world-class performances to take it to their highly-fancied rivals.
Mills lead Australia’s scoring efforts with a very tidy 30 points off 11 of 22 shooting, whilst Delly’s passing aim was well-and-truly dialled in, throwing out 11 handy assists.
In fact, if it weren’t for an unbelievable shooting effort by Carmello Anthony, who sank 31 points with an amazing 9 of 15 from behind the 3-point line, the story might have been very, very different.
Australia’s dogged defence worried the US, whose overall shooting efficiency dropped to just 39% for the game, well below their normal levels.
The Boomers looked more than capable of hanging with the high-powered side, which sports names like Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, and DeAndre Jordan. Hell, the Boomers even carried a remarkable 5-point lead into half time.
But it was Carmello Anthony’s shooting in the fourth quarter, coupled with a rash of forced poor shots, that allowed the US to finally overrun the Boomers.
Make no mistake about it though, Australia is a serious medal threat in this Olympics. And if we continue putting up performances like this, the next time we face off against the US, it could well be for the gold.
GET ‘EM, LADS.
Photo: Phil Walter/Getty.
