HOBART (Australia) - Davo Hickey struck the dagger to help Australia survive New Zealand, 84-79, for a winning start to their FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, Friday evening at the MyStateBank Arena.
The 26-year-old knocked down the most important three of the night with 34 seconds left as it pushed their lead to two possessions at 82-78, and that spelled the beginning of the end for an upset-hungry Tall Blacks.
Big stops on the other end by Nick Kay, and splits from the line by Hickey and Jack White all inside the game's final 26.5 proved to be the finishing touches that ultimately enabled the Boomers to escape.
Hickey finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists as his endgame heroics helped the defending three-time Asia Cup champions turn the game around in their favor after trailing by as many as nine at one point.
TURNING POINT
Sure, we could point to Hickey's three-pointer with 36 seconds left in the game as the dagger as it opened a one-point game in to a two-possesion ball game.
But don't forget the blocks by Keanu Pinder and Nick Kay in the fourth quarter. Stiffling defense from the Boomers.
KEY PLAYER
Again, Hickey might have been the late-game hero, but the Boomers might not have been in that position to close the game out if not for Angus Glover. The "Red Rocket" scored 17 points on 4 three-pointers and ignited a sequence where he hit back-to-back three-pointers and drew an offensive charge.
Glover was on the squad the last time the Boomers lost to the Tall Blacks in 2020 in what was his debut and that might have sparked his inspiring play.
STATS DON’T LIE
New Zealand shot well over 50 percent at halftime, but ended the game shooting only 37.7 percent from the field. The Boomers went into the halftime break one team and came out another team defensively.
BOTTOM LINE
Australia are the three-time defending Asia Cup champions and they brought in a roster for these World Cup Qualifiers that retained that core, including TISSOT MVP Jaylin Galloway. They know how to win.
But New Zealand surely proved that they are going to be one of the top teams in these World Cup Qualifiers as well, if they continue to play this way.
*This article will be updated shortly.