WELLINGTON (New Zealand) - Davo Hickey beat the buzzer to save Australia from the jaws of defeat against New Zealand, 79-77, for a perfect Window 1 in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, Monday.
The 26-year-old guard banked in a tough trifecta from the wing just before time expired, helping the Boomers complete the escape after finding themselves staring at a 67-57 deficit early in the final period.
All of the Boomers erupted in jubilation afterward, leaving behind the pro-Tall Blacks fans that filled the TSB Bank Arena in utter shock as they suffered yet another heartbreak at the hands of the very same man.
It could be recalled that Hickey himself played a crucial role in the Aussies' narrow 84-79 victory at home last Friday, in which he struck the dagger triple for the 82-78 lead with 34.0 seconds left to play.
Barely 48 hours later and he was once again at front and center of another character win, although this one should be sweeter as the reigning three-time FIBA Asia Cup champs have taken the provisional lead in Group A.
Key players
Hickey finished with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and a steal as his endgame heroics also preserved the commendable efforts of the others in helping make the come-from-behind victory possible.
Keanu Pinder top-scored for Australia with 21 points, 13 of which he made in the first half as he helped his side take a 39-37 lead at the half. He also had 6 rebounds and 5 of the squad's 6 blocks.
Veteran Nick Kay came through with 20 points and 9 rebounds plus 4 steals as he was key in orchestrating the fightback through his hustle on both ends of the floor. Jaylin Galloway chipped in 13 in the win.
Turning point
Kay was responsible in resuscitating the Boomers' hopes when they trailed by a decade, scoring six points in a 9-0 run - the other three courtesy of Galloway - to cut the gap to just a point, 67-66, with 6:44 remaining.
That rally then set up the tight affair, putting the pressure as well on New Zealand after seemingly seizing control of the match following a 25-18 third-quarter reversal that eventually turned into a big lead.
Stats don't lie
Australia actually lost the battle of the boards, 52-43, but defense spelled the difference. The Boomers collected 13 steals and 6 blocks, and that kind of effort was the main reason behind the opposition's 22 turnovers.
Bottomline
Following yet another squeaker, Team Australia have extended their winning streak to three against the Tall Blacks in FIBA competitions - a streak that dates back to the 2022 Asia Cup Semi-Finals in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The last time that New Zealand beat the Boomers, in case you're wondering, was during the 2022 Asia Cup Qualifiers' First Round - a 108-98 decision at the Nissan Arena in Brisbane back in February 20, 2020.
They said
"No team broke, both teams kept throwing punches, the other team just kept coming back. Fortunately for us, we were good enough to get some stops in the fourth quarter, got ourselves a chance to get a shot at it, and Davo made a hell of a play. Both games, made big shots down at the end of the game." - Dean Vickerman, Head Coach, Australia
"It was our bigs today, Keanu and Nick, they're just huge for us coming up with the big plays ... and shout-out to our bench as well. When you have a bench like that, that's what makes a team a team. I feel like 1 through 12 we've done a great job. And credit to the staff, they really instilled that the moment we walked in." - Davo Hickey, Guard, Australia
FIBA