MLI/AUS - Australia trample Mali

TOULOUSE (FIBA U17 World Championship for Women) – Australia cruised to an 88-39 win over Mali for their third success in four games at the FIBA U17 World Championship for Women.

The result has the Aussies in third place of Group B, behind Belgium and China. Mali, meanwhile, suffered their fourth defeat.

The Malians scored the game’s opening points and the last of the first quarter as Mariam Maiga’s three-pointer beat the buzzer. However, they did not score much in between those two plays as they trailed a slow and sleepy-looking Australian side 17-7.

Tayla Roberts then led an Aussie 29-4 run that saw them go up 46-21 at halftime. The centre was well-seconded by Gretel Tippett who was in the right spot at the right time more often than not.

Peter Lonergan’s side stayed in control of the game and ran off 18 unanswered points at one stage in the third quarter. That stretch was made worse for Mali as Fanta Guindo was injured and did not return to the game.

Up 70-24, the final frame was a formality for Australia, but Oumarou Sidiya’s side used the period to trim their margin of defeat.

Roberts had a game-high 17 points for Australia and Tippett added 16.

Quotes

Peter Lonergan (Australia head coach): I was not happy with our first half performance, but executed quite well in the second. Physically we did not step outside the rules of basketball. We have strong bodies and we must make the most of what we have.

Sidiya Oumarou (Mali head coach): I have quite good feelings regarding the game we just produced. We didn’t score as much as the other times, but we had better quality. The Australians produced a game at the limit of the rules. Sometimes they weren't very fair play, even though they didn’t need to dig in that aspect of the game.

FIBA/LOC