ULAANBAATAR (Mongolia) - Australia began their march toward FIBA U16 Asia Cup history with a runaway 141-47 victory over Bahrain to open the 2025 competitions, Sunday at the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Complex.
The 'four-peat' seekers wasted no time seizing control, erupting for 41 big points in just the game's first 10 minutes and with a 30-point lead never to be challenged toward a start so dominant to their campaign.
All of Coach Greg Vanderjagt's charges scored in the wire-to-wire win, eight of which finished in double figures led by Luke Roland Paul with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 12 assists for a near-triple-double plus 6 steals.
Paul scored nine of his points in the opening period, almost matching the opposition's total output of 11.
Lucas Byrne delivered 19 points and 10 rebounds with 5 assists. The tandem of William Troy Hamilton and Max Pavey made 17 points apiece while Isaiah Jorgenson produced 13 points and 7 rebounds.
The troika of Alex Mabbott, Josh McCann, and Tom Dammers supplied 12 points each in the triumph, which saw the Crocs shoot an impressive 56.7-percent from the floor and collect 67 rebounds and 42 assists.
Leading Bahrain, on the other hand, were Yousif Yaqoob Meshaei with 13 points and Somto Patrick Onoduenyi with his 11 points and 7 rebounds, as they were the only players in double digits for their side in the defeat.
Joining Team Australia as the early winners in Group A are Lebanon after their 95-73 conquest of India.
Johnny Sawma starred for the young Cedars with a tournament-high 34 points and 7 rebounds with 6 steals as he's carried over his fine play from the WABA Qualifiers last July in Amman, Jordan which they eventually ruled.
Amin Nahle notched a double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds while Tony Kiwan registered 13 points.
It was by no means an easy win for the wards of Coach Gilbert Nasr, though, as they lost the lead they built during the first half and found themselves staring at a 45-43 deficit in the early goings of the third quarter.
But Sawma would come in and help restore order, following up Thierry Derjani's bucket with a conversion of his own to give themselves the lead back, 46-45, before Nahle and the others pushed it 57-47 with 2:20 to go.
Then came the strong fourth-quarter to close it out, with Sawma and Nahelo joining hands to construct an 82-61 lead approaching the game's last five minutes as their counterparts could no longer respond.
Shekhar Rathee led India with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Arman made 14 points while Ansh Tomer had 12 points and 15 rebounds. Krishna Sureniya added 10 points as the four starters carried much of the load in the loss.
Australia and Lebanon will swap foes as they both aim to go 2-0 on Monday, September 1 at the MBank Arena. The former will take on India at 11:30 local time while the latter will battle Bahrain at 14:00 local time.
FIBA