Boomers bomb out of FIBA World Cup with Slovenia loss

September 2, 2023 12:24 pm.by Staff Writer

Dante Exum blocks his Slovenian opponent in the Boomers FIBA World Cup loss on Friday night. — Dante Exum was among the Boomers best in their loss to Slovenia on Friday night.

The Australian national basketball team, under the guidance of coach Brian Goorjian, is facing a critical juncture following a disappointing exit from the FIBA World Cup.

Despite being equipped with arguably one of the most talented Boomers squads ever, their journey came to an abrupt end at the hands of Luka Doncic’s Slovenia, effectively extinguishing their medal aspirations.

The Boomers struggled to score against a tight Slovenian outfit that did not allow them any easy baskets, particularly in transition where they were quite happy to foul, rather than allow swift ball movement.

Goorjian acknowledged that pivotal decisions lie ahead as he assesses the aftermath of the Boomers’ untimely exit. The blame for the World Cup elimination ultimately rests with the Australian team themselves, as they failed to live up to their potential.

“Offensively, for us, when we play it with pace, when we move the ball and dribble it less we are a really good team,” Goorjian said.

“Tonight, again, we got the pace going, we got the possessions going, but there was too much bounce [dribbling].

“So you know when you get in a game like this and there’s a lot of pressure, who you are comes out and we’re a step off right now.”

Despite Luka Doncic not being in top form, his Slovenian teammates stepped up to avenge their loss to Australia, which had occurred during the Tokyo Olympics, where the Boomers secured the bronze medal.

The emergence of Cup debutant Josh Giddey was a bright spot amidst the gloom, as he showcased his skill set with an impressive performance, tallying 25 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Giddey’s contribution brought Australia within striking distance in the fourth quarter, but a combination of slow starts, subpar defence, and errant shooting prevented a comeback, allowing Slovenia to amass a commanding 19-point lead in the final quarter.

Veteran swingman Joe Ingles had an unfortunate evening, registering zero points and only two assists in his 26 minutes on the court. This marked a rare occurrence for Ingles, who had previously played over 20 minutes without scoring only once, in a match against Mexico during the 2014 World Cup.

Another experienced player, big man Nick Kay, faced challenges as well, mustering just three points during his 25 minutes of play. Xavier Cooks, who had been a standout performer for the Boomers in this year’s World Cup, encountered an off night with only two points, one rebound, and four personal fouls in his 13 minutes on the court.

The 91-80 loss effectively dashed Australia’s hopes of advancing in the tournament, rendering their final game against Georgia a formality. The defeat marks the Boomers’ poorest finish in a World Cup since 2014, when they placed 12th in Spain. While their final position for the current tournament remains uncertain, coach Goorjian expressed his disappointment and hinted at potential changes to the squad for next year’s Paris Olympics.

Goorjian emphasised the rising stars within the team, particularly singling out Giddey, Cooks, and Josh Green as the foundation for future success. Despite the disappointment, the coach believes that the team’s evolution is underway, with changes in playing style both offensively and defensively.

The Boomers will look strongly at adding more size to their squad for the Paris Olympics, with first-choice big man Jock Landale’s injury before the tournament clearly hurting them. They were also reluctant to play three-point maestro Chris Goulding, despite prominent shooters like Ingles and Mills struggling to have a major impact, with this something else they will need to remedy/

They will also be desperate to inject Ben Simmons into the line-up, although Australian basketball fans almost groan when his name is mentioned, given his reluctance to be a part of the national basketball setup.

The Boomers are paying $1.10 to win their final match at the FIBA World Cup on Sunday, when they clash with Georgia, who are rank outsiders with online bookmakers at $6.

More sports news