2 Nathan Adam Sobey (AUS)
01/02/2018
Enzo Flojo's Asia On My Mind
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Who can defeat Australia at Asian Qualifiers?

MANILA (Enzo Flojo's Asia on My Mind) - Australia have remained undefeated in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers, but which other team can eventually hand them their first loss?

The Boomers broke through the Asian basketball scene with aplomb in 2017, sweeping all their games en route to the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 title and getting two convincing wins in the first window of the Asian Qualifiers at the expense of Chinese Taipei and Japan. As they enter the second window, Australia remain heavy favorites to continue their winning ways, and that really begs one important question - can anyone actually beat this seemingly indomitable quintet from down under?

Before we try and see if any team out there can stand toe-to-toe with the Boomers, though, let's try and see what has made the team quite successful.

First, Australia are a big team. No, they don't have as many 7-footers as, say, China, but they have some of the biggest wingmen around, which creates a lot of mismatches against traditionally smaller Asian wing players. Guys like Mitch Creek, Nathan Sobey, Cam Gliddon, Brad Newley and Mitch McCarron are good examples of this. They can easily outmuscle smaller opponents and use their athleticism to finish strong around the basket.

Versatility is another big strength of the Boomers. They have players who can play multiple positions and hurt opponents in a variety of ways. A good example is big man Daniel Kickert, who is listed as a power forward/center. The 6ft 10in (2.09m) Kickert uses his size well, but what he is really known for is his outside shooting. In the first Asian Qualifiers window, he lit up Taipei and Japan by hitting 7-of-9 three-pointers. That enabled Australia to effectively spread the floor and gave them the option of using another big man alongside Kickert, further compounding the opposition's size disadvantage. Creek is also a versatile player as he can play either wing position and even play as a small-ball 4 against shorter Asian squads.

As if those weren't enough, what really takes Australia over the top is their chemistry. The country is known for having a bevy of players in the NBA - Ben Simmons, Matthew Delavedova, Aron Baynes, Dante Exum and Joe Ingles come to mind - but by actually exclusively utilizing their "local" NBL talents, the Boomers are able to practice together for a longer amount of time, which greatly improves their chemistry. That chemistry is manifested in their playmaking, which was in full view during both the Asia Cup and Asian Qualifiers. Australia were second overall in assists in the Asia Cup right behind Korea, but they topped the assists list in the Asian Qualifiers.

Now that we know some important details about Australia's current streak of dominance, let's see what things are needed for the Boomers to finally bite the dust.

For Asian squads to have a fighting chance against Australia, their outside shooting must be on-point. Pound for pound and talent for talent, Australia will always have the edge, but if a team will be fortunate enough to find majority of their shots - especially the ones from long range - falling, then it won't be far-fetched to think that they could spring an upset.

It goes without saying that Asian teams are known for their speed, but the Australians, despite their size, have also shown that they can play a fast-paced, up-and-down style. This means that - counterintuitively - slowing down the game may actually be a better option for upset-conscious squads. Coupled with great shooting, slowing down the tempo can potentially mean fewer chances for Australia to go on their big runs and lower odds of the Boomers' being able to break the game open and put it out of reach.

It's not all about shooting and pace, though. For any team to be in a position to defeat Australia, playmaking and ball-handling must be crisp. This means teams can ill-afford unforced errors and turnovers against the Boomers.

So, with a laundry list of things to remember, is there any team that can possibly upend Australia? Of course. Obviously, New Zealand is one of those, and they have already beaten their Oceania neighbors before. They won't, however, meet int he Asian Qualifiers. In their preliminary group, perhaps Australia's toughest opponents will be their next ones - the Philippines. At full strength, Gilas Pilipinas have the size to potentially match up well with Australia, and they have a handful of sharp-shooters who, on a good night, can give any team fits. Head coach Chot Reyes has been drilling his team for the past few weeks, and he even tries to simulate Australia's size, physicality and style by having the Filipinos scrimmage against some African imports.

Needless to say, he is dead serious about trying to topple the mighty Green & Gold. Once Australia reach the second round, another squad that should put up a tough stand are Iran. Team Melli already faced Australia once - in the Asia Cup 2017 Final - and though the West Asians lost by 23, there were some stretches where they showed they could hang with the Boomers.

Enzo Flojo

FIBA

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Enzo Flojo

Enzo Flojo

Enzo Flojo, one of Manila’s top basketball bloggers, always has Asian basketball on his mind. His biggest basketball dream? To see an Asian team as a legitimate gold medal contender in world basketball. He believes it will happen in his lifetime. If you have big basketball dreams like he does, then you’re in the right place.