Boomers' comeback falls short, Opals outclass NZ
Australia's men's basketball team have paid the price for a sloppy start in the final chapter of their three-match series against New Zealand, suffering a 106-97 loss in Hamilton.
The Boomers and their women's counterparts, the Opals, entered Sunday's double-header with a trans-Tasman series win in their back pocket, having each banked victories in Adelaide and the Sunshine Coast.
The Opals outgunned New Zealand 86-71 in their series finale, with Isobel Borlase's 18 points and six rebounds helping complete a sweep and a wire-to-wire win.
Borlase, who was part of Australia's squad that won bronze at the Paris Olympics, was well supported by Courtney Woods (16 points, three rebounds) and Stephanie Reid (six assists, three steals).
The Boomers started their match with a couple of costly turnovers, errors and fouls as the Tall Blacks claimed a 16-4 lead in the first quarter.
New Zealand continued to out-muscle the visitors, easing out to a 30-point lead in the third term before Australia staged an epic comeback.
Dejan Vasiljevic, who turned the ball over twice in the opening minute of the match, nailed a three-pointer to reduce the hosts' buffer to six points with 32 seconds remaining in the final quarter.
But a couple of ice-cool free throws from Finn Delany ensured Australia were unable to conjure a miracle.
Point guard Taylor Britt went close to a triple double for the Tall Blacks, helping himself to 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Perth Wildcats guard Elijah Pepper, who debuted for Australia earlier this year, came off the bench and scored a game-high 28 points.
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This group, while supported strongly (and loudly, of course), is still getting to know the community. 'Russ, KD, James Harden, they used to come out,' Jabee said. 'Russ had a comedy show every year, and he would book me to perform and host. All the players would come and support. When you would go to a party, you'd see a Thunder player.' But there is time, now, for this next generation of Thunder players to settle in even deeper, with its new fans, and see what is possible over the vast horizons. The Thunder are young and have a work ethic that plays especially well here. The future seems limitless, just like it did 15 years ago. Just like it did 136 years ago, when people from all over came to stake their claim in the topography in the middle of a state that was not yet a state, in a place that was inventing itself on the fly. And is still doing so. 'What a crazy way to start a city,' Cornett said. 'To a certain extent, that craziness, the ups and downs, those peaks and valleys, the best and worst of times, it's all a part of our DNA by now.'
