Australia - Boomers slip past New Caledonia
Australia and New Caledonia provided the most exciting game so far in the 2009 FIBA Oceania Basketball Tournament after the Boomers pulled off a 60-57 victory over the French colony yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. “It was another tough game, tough win. I hope this does not turn into a habit,” Australia head coach Paul Goriss told Saipan Tribune in an interview after the game. Goriss' wards came off a 57-42 win over Guam in Day 1 of the tournament last Sunday with the Boomers recovering from the slow start just in time to foil an opening day shocker. In their debut, the Boomers trailed in the first half. Against the much physical New Caledonia players, Australia controlled the game from the opening tip before the Francophone cagers rallied in the last two minutes of the game.
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Australia and New Caledonia provided the most exciting game so far in the 2009 FIBA Oceania Basketball Tournament after the Boomers pulled off a 60-57 victory over the French colony yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
“It was another tough game, tough win. I hope this does not turn into a habit,” Australia head coach Paul Goriss told Saipan Tribune in an interview after the game.
Goriss' wards came off a 57-42 win over Guam in Day 1 of the tournament last Sunday with the Boomers recovering from the slow start just in time to foil an opening day shocker.
In their debut, the Boomers trailed in the first half. Against the much physical New Caledonia players, Australia controlled the game from the opening tip before the Francophone cagers rallied in the last two minutes of the game.
“There were a lot of pushing, fighting off screens. Our younger players played against men and they are not used to it. Hopefully, these two close wins will make them realize that what we have here is a tough competition and you have to be prepared physical and mentally to win tough games,” Goriss added.
From a 58-50 lead, entering the final two minutes of the match, the Bommers saw their lead cut to three, 57-60, with 54.1 seconds left in the game.
Two backcourt violation from Australia resulted to two free throw makes by Emmanuel Souria-Ouamt and a layup by point guard Stephane Saminadin.
After New Caledonia moved within four, 54-58, Australia got some breathing room when Thomas Daly fed Bradley Simpson for an alley-oop, 60-54.
Souria-Ouamt countered with a triple to threaten anew, 57-60, with less than a minute left in the game. New Caledonia had several chances to move closer or tie the game when Australia missed in its last four trips at the foul line, but the French cagers also muffed triples and inside shots in the ensuing plays.
Two misses from the 15-foot line from Daly gave New Caledonia one final chance to send the game into overtime. However, Daly made up for his earlier booboo when he stole Raymond Weber's inbound pass to Saminadin in the last 1.2 seconds of the match to preserve the win for the Boomers.
Australia now leads the five-team tournament with its 2-0 record, while New Caledonia dropped its debut.
In the women's division, New Zealand had little trouble downing Guam, nailing a 65-point win, 92-27.
New Zealand held Guam to five points in the first period and never looked back from thereon.
Women's
New Zealand 92 - Moore 17, Slatter 14, Kensington 13, Vucinic 11, Gallaher 9, Hunter 6, Caldwell 6, Connell 6, Gillespie 6, Milford 4.
Guam 27 - Anderson 10, Santos 8, Castro 4, Benito 2, Tajalle 2, Pelkey 1.
Scoring by quarters: 26-5, 42-12, 68-18, 92-27.
Men's
Australia 60 - Mullan 11, Daly 10, Bairstow 10, Warbout 8, Hill 5, Wilcher 4, Purser 4, Phillips 4, Simpson 4.
New Caledonia 57 - Tetainanuarii 15, Souria-Ouamt 13, Saminadin 7, R. Weber 6, B. Weber 6, Taufana 4, Mathelon 2, Mana 2.
Scoring by quarters: 22-18, 38-31, 51-42, 60-57.