Ingles fires as Boomers topple Tall Blacks
Australia's men's basketball team has avenged the Wallabies' loss to New Zealand last night by overcoming a physical Tall Blacks side to win the opening game of the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championship in Sydney by seven points, 84-77.
Trailing by three points at three-quarter time, the Boomers rode the hot shooting hand of Beijing Olympian Joe Ingles in the final period to get over a committed New Zealand outfit for the hard earned victory.
Ingles scored ten points in a blistering 90 seconds midway through the fourth quarter and finished with a game high 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting including four three-pointers.
Dallas Mavericks forward Nathan Jawai was a force in the paint and finished with 17 points and a game high 11 rebounds while Beijing Olympian Brad Newley added 13 points and 5 rebounds, with ten of those points coming in the second half.
Kirk Penney led New Zealand with 23 points but only two of his points came in the fourth quarter after young guard Matthew Dellavedova did an outstanding defensive effort shutting down the potent Tall Blacks guard.
Boomers head coach Brett Brown admitted being nervous in the second half and was surprised that New Zealand won the battle of the boards, but reserved special mention for his game winning shooting guard.
“We were down going into the last period and Joey, through some individual brilliance, bailed us out of some potential problems,” Brown said.
“We have a team that is physically gifted so I was surprised that they got the better of us on the boards, particularly the offensive boards, but you’ve got to give New Zealand credit, they were an aggressive, tenacious team.
“We are on a bit of a youth kick but our young group closed out the game in veteran fashion.”
Australia’s victory was even sweeter considering Beijing Olympian Mark Worthington was a late withdrawal due to a foot injury.
“He’s done for the series and from a coaching standpoint that really threw me into a tailspin,” Brown said. “He is a grenade at the minute to the system.”
Brown also made mention of 18-year old point guard Dellavedova and his tenacious, aggressive defence.
“Dellavedova was tough and he came in and played great defence on Kirk Penney. That’s a hell of an assignment for a young kid to roll out at this stage of his career.”
Tall Blacks centre Alex Pledger scored the opening points of the game on a strong drive to the basket but when Joe Ingles hit two three pointers and finished a fast break the Boomers were up 8-4.
Penney then reeled off three long range bombs in quick succession and New Zealand was ahead 17-13 before Nathan Jawai asserted his presence inside. He finished with nine points for the quarter as Australia took a 25-21 lead into the first break.
New Zealand scored the first four points of the second quarter before James Harvey connected on a three pointer to put the Boomers back in front. Australia then upped the ante in defence and began scoring off turnovers as the lead pushed out to eight mid way through the stanza.
Australia extended the margin to ten points approaching half time before fatigue set in and the Tall Blacks responded with a run that reduced the lead to one point at the half, 43-42.
Ingles had a game high 16 points at half time, Jawai had 11 points and an equal game high 5 rebounds and Baynes had four blocks for Australia while Penney had 12 points to lead the Tall Blacks, who won the first half rebound count 23-14.
Mika Vukona scored first in the second half and Pledger followed with a rainbow set shot to put the Tall Blacks in front by three before Oscar Forman nailed a three to tie things up.
The see-saw tussle continued before Penney and Tait got to the hole on consecutive possessions to put the Tall Blacks up by five with 4:55 remaining in the quarter.
The physical battle fired up the crowd and when Newley connected on a three and Jawai skied for a rebound and put back the level the scores again they were in full voice, but they were silenced when guard Mike Fitchett nailed a buzzer beating three to end the third quarter with New Zealand ahead by three, 64-61.
Penney had nine points for the third quarter to take him to a game leading 21 points while Forman had seven for Australia in the period, but it was Jawai starting the scoreboard in the final period with two free throws to reduce the margin to one point.
Australia had good chances to take the lead but could not finish close to the hole while the Tall Blacks did just enough to stay in front until Ingles hit his third three of the game in transition and followed it with a long jump shot to put the Boomers up by four, 70-66 with 5:43 remaining.
Ingles scored his third basket on the trot with a mid range fadeaway to put the Boomers up by six then drained a three pointer to make it four in a row before Abercrombie stopped the rot with the Tall Blacks down seven.
But the New Zealand spirit had been crushed by Ingles and Ogilvy and Newley stepped up to finish off the Tall Blacks, setting the stage for a FIBA Oceania Championship series victory on Tuesday in New Zealand.
New Zealand won the rebound count 45-31 after it was tied 8-8 after one quarter.
The Boomers depart Australia at 8:45am tomorrow bound for Wellington and are available to media at the Qantas International Check-in desk from 6:45am to 7:15am.
Quarter by quarter:
1. AUS 25 NZL 21
H: AUS 43 NZL 42 (18-21)
3: NZL 64 AUS 61 (22-18)
F: AUS 84 NZL 77 (20-16)
Starters:AUS: Gibson, Newley, Ingles, Forman, Ogilvy
NZ: Tait, Penney, Vukona, Abercrombie, Pledger
AUSTRALIA 84 (Joe Ingles 26, Nathan Jawai 17, Brad Newley 13) bt
NEW ZEALAND 77 (Kirk Penney 23, Alex Pledger 16, Lindsay Tait 12)
at Sydney Olympic Park Sports CentreCrowd: 2178
Photo by Guil Hornos for Kangaroo Photos
