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McVeigh stars as Boomers prove too strong for Koreans

McVeigh stars as Boomers prove too strong for Koreans

Perth Now13 hours ago
New coach, new captain, new squad, no problem.
Australia have preserved their unbeaten record in the Asian Cup with a resounding 97-61 win over South Korea to begin their 2025 title defence in promising fashion in Jeddah.
A new dawn beckoned at the King Abdullah Stadium under Boomers mentor Adam Caporn, the former assistant to Brian Goorjian who led the team at the Paris Olympics.
Australia have never been beaten in the competition since their inclusion in 2017, so all eyes were on Caporn and his young brigade with an average age of just 24.
There was plenty to like in Caporn's first match in charge as the reigning champions sent an ominous message to their Asian Cup rivals.
Tough defence and impressive three-point shooting were the cornerstone of a convincing victory.
Player of-the-match Jack McVeigh led the scoring with 20 points, with contributions also from Jaylin Galloway (12) and William "Davo" Hickey (11).
Captained by Will Magnay, the Boomers' early aggression caught the Koreans napping with Xavier Cookes landing the first basket in the opening seconds.
Then moments later Galloway added the first three-pointer to signal Australians intent with the shell-shocked Koreans forced into taking an early timeout with the score just 7-0.
But it helped the Asians regroup with former Illawarra Hawks wing Hjungjung Lee leading their fight back. Lee (20 points) was a constant threat as they ended the first quarter eight behind with the score 25-17.
But it was the second quarter that would have pleased Caporn as his charges took control of the contest.
The Boomers opened up a match-defining 17-point gap to lead 48-31, the margin largely constructed by resilient defence and brilliant three-point shooting from McVeigh.
McVeigh, who had 15 points alone in the first half, found his range from outside the circle as Australia were white hot (62 per cent) from the three-point line as opposed to the Koreans' four from 19 attempts in the first half.
The Boomers' athleticism eventually wore down South Korea and entered the final quarter 68-47 in front.
For good measure, Caporn then threw on 17-year-old rising star Dash Daniels, the younger brother of NBA star Dyson.
It was a glimpse into the future as Australia build towards the 2027 World Cup in Jeddah and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the youngster didn't disappoint.
Next up for the Boomers is Lebanon on Saturday at 1pm (AEST).
BOOMERS' REMAINING ASIAN CUP POOL FIXTURES:
v Lebanon, Saturday 1am (AEST)
v Qatar, Sunday 6pm (AEST)
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