The Gems, Australia's Under 19 Women's team shook off a disappointing loss to Canada to claim fifth place in the Under 19 World Championships for Women with a resounding 78-38 victory over Russia. The win came in spite of early foul trouble for Gems star Elizabeth Cambage. The rest of the squad led by Rachel Jarry and Tess Magden picked up the slack in the teams win.
Finally, from the latest Basketball Australia press releases, here are stories of the Boomers fortunes in their latest games in south America.
Courageous effort as young Boomers push Argentina
Despite good games from Barlow, Ingles and Nevill......
Australia’s men’s basketball team hung tough with Athens gold medallists Argentina in Rosario today but could not stop the highly favoured South Americans winning their second game against the Boomers in a week.
Down by just five points at half time, Australia was rolled in the fourth quarter after Nathan Jawai, Adam Gibson and Aron Baynes were fouled out of the game and Argentina surged to victory by seventeen points, 98-81.
Olympian David Barlow was the game high scorer and Australia’s best with 23 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists while his Beijing team mate Joe Ingles chimed in with 18.
Seven foot two centre Luke Nevill registered a personal best in international play with 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting to go along with 4 rebounds in just his third game for Australia.
Local legend Leonardo Gutierrez top scored for Argentina with 22 points.
Boomers head coach Brett Brown was positive about his team’s performance despite the result and emphasised the gradual improvement of his young Boomers side.
“It was our best performance of the trip but we just couldn’t get over the top,” Brown said.
“It’s part and parcel of having a young group; we made silly mistakes and turned the ball over and we put Argentina on the free throw line too many times.
“We weren’t disciplined and we showed a lack of patience with many things we did and the foul trouble that we got in was a result of that.
“We want to keep getting better and feel good about the direction we’re heading in so we can candidly look at each other in the eye and know that we’re moving forward.
“Ultimately our report card is against New Zealand on August 23rd and I feel like we made positive steps tonight.”
Australia’s next game, the final match of the Super Four round robin tournament, will be against Uruguay tomorrow morning, where the Boomers will look to curtail the long range shotting success of their South American opponents.
Argentina shot 13-of-25 three-pointers compared to Australia’s 4-of-13 and registered a hot 31-of-35 free throws compared to the Boomers’ 26-of-33.
“The South Americans play very physical basketball and the Uruguayans are especially physical.
“We have some injury concerns; Oscar Forman played limited minutes tonight due to a sprained ankle, Stephen Weigh didn’t play at all, Nathan Jawai is also carrying an ankle sprain and we rested Matthew Dellavedova due to a stomach ailment.
“But we’re looking forward to the game.”
Quarter by quarter:
1. ARG 28 AUS 23
H. ARG 47 AUS 42 (19-19)
3. ARG 72 AUS 64 (25-22)
F. ARG 98 AUS 81 (26-17)
ARGENTINA 98 (L Gutierrez 22, Paolo Quinteros 15, Luis Scola 15) bt
AUSTRALIA 81 (David Barlow 23, Joe Ingles 18, Luke Nevill 15)
in Rosario, Argentina
* Please note that no box score was provided from Argentina...
Brazil bumps Boomers in tight one
Would you call it a foul? The referees didn't...
Australia’s men’s basketball team lost a close game to Brazil in Argentina on Sunday with the South Americans winners by three points.
Olympian David Barlow had a three point shot to tie the game go wide under intense physical defensive pressure and Australia went down, 74-71.
Barlow top scored for Australia with 13 points while power forward Nathan Jawai continued his international emergence with 12 points and 8 rebounds in support.
Cairns product Aron Baynes scored 10 points in his second game for Australia while starting point guard Adam Gibson was productive at both ends of the floor and finished with 10 points.
Brazil’s 206cm centre Bruno Fiorotto led all scorers with 22 points.
"It was a frustrating game to lose as we were up for the majority of the game,” Boomers head coach Brett Brown told Basketball Australia.
“Our guys came out with a far greater focus after a fantastic learning experience against a multiple medal winning team in Argentina and we put ourselves in a position to be ahead in the fourth period and to win our first game on the road.
“But late in the game a combination of bad turnovers and a lack of execution at the defensive end enabled Brazil to find some cheap baskets.
"It's frustrating that we didn't win after the time spent working hard in Sydney and making adjustments after our first game against Argentina.
Brown made mention of his starting point guard and two of his rookie Boomers before looking ahead to Australia’s next game on Tuesday.
“Adam Gibson continued to play well and lead the team. Aron Baynes was consistently solid inside and we got some good contribution from Luke Nevill."
"Tomorrow we will get into recovery as we've got another two games back to back, which will be four games in five days, so it is an important time to analyse the video tapes and focus on getting the bodies right for what’s ahead."
Australia had its most promising start on tour to the delight of a small Aussie contingent in the crowd as Jawai caused problems in the paint and Gibson got the scoreboard ticking for the Boomers.
Brazil’s Jonathan Tavernari continued to light it up in the second quarter as his team’s compact zone defence tested the Boomers but Australia went into the main break ahead by two points, 36-34.
The Boomers picked up the defensive intensity in the opening minutes of the second half and took a five point lead behind tough baskets from Barlow and Jawai. Matt Burston was effective in short bursts off the bench and in 11 minutes he racked up six points and four rebounds.
With Baynes chiming in Australia pushed out to a nine point lead in the fourth quarter before lapses in defence let Brazil get back into the game.
With 44 seconds on the clock and the game all tied Joe Ingles had the ball stripped from him and he immediately fouled the Brazilian player to prevent a fast break, but it was called an unsportsmanlike foul, giving Brazil two foul shots and possession of the ball.
Australia had one final chance when four seconds remained to send the game into overtime but Barlow’s shot was unsuccessful.
Quarter by quarter:
1: BRA 15 AUS 14
H: AUS 36 BRA 34 (21-20)
3: AUS 59 BRA 52 (23-18)
F: BRA 74 AUS 71 (22-12)
BRAZIL 74 (B Fiorotto 22, J Tavernari 17, D Zimmer 9) bt
AUSTRALIA 71 (D Barlow 13, Nathan Jawai 12, Aron Baynes 10, Adam Gibson 10)
in Rosario, Argentina
