HOBART (Australia) - The Boomers found an unlikely savior earlier today.
With New Zealand threatening a massive upset, it came down to a player who suffered three knee injuries in his teens, to rise up for the Aussies.
We got the 'W' and that's all that matters and we're going to go into Monday, trying to get another one.
Early in the third quarter, with Australia trailing 42-49 and the momentum firmly with their Trans-Tasman rivals, 27-year-old Angus Glover decided to take matters into his own hands.
Having debuted in the senior national squad in 2020 - the last time the Tall Blacks beat them in a home game - Glover knew only too well not to leave things to chance.
Eight seconds after the change of ends, the 193 cm / 6'3" floor general of the Illawarra Hawks had a heat check from deep. Two more triples quickly followed from Glover's hot gloves, turning a 7-point deficit into a 4-point lead.
New Zealand kept battling and took the game right down to the wire. But Glover's 17 points proved vital in the eventual 84-79 victory.
"[It was] a game of ebbs and flows...we just stuck with it in the second half, played the way we wanted to and get out in transition," Glover said after the win.
Speaking on his own recent hot shooting streaks, Glover said:
"I put in the work every single day with my shot, so I am always confident going out to a game."
"I'm happy to shoot the ball but at the same time I really don't care. We got the 'W' and that's all that matters and we're going to go into Monday, trying to get another one."
Watch Glover's full post-game press conference:
FIBA