FIBA World Cup 2023: Bigger and better, Australia punish Japan to qualify for 2nd round

Paris 2024

Locked in from tip-off, the Boomers beat Japan 109-89 to advance from Group E while sending the co-hosts to the classification games in Okinawa. Josh Giddey ran the show with 26 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.

3 minBy Shintaro Kano
Australia's Xavier Cooks

(Reuters)

Australia bossed Japan to a controlling 109-89 victory, qualifying for the second round from Group E at FIBA World Cup 2023 on Tuesday (29 August).

Behind Josh Giddey’s 26 points, 11 assists and five rebounds and with Xavier Cooks dominating inside with 24 points and 14 rebounds, Australia weren’t about to let another slip away after losing to Germany by a bucket two nights ago.

Germany finished top of the group with three wins from three after beating an already eliminated Finland team 101-75 earlier. Japan will head to the classification games and likely take on the last-place team from Group F.

“I think we started the game well,” said Giddey, named player of the game for his double-double.

“Slow starts have been a little bit of a problem at the tournament but we cleaned it up tonight. It put us in a good state going forward.

“A bit sloppy toward the end of the game but a win’s a win, we’ll take it. From hereon out everything becomes a must-win for us.”

Against the tournament co-hosts who were on a high after beating Finland for their first win on the stage in 17 years, Australia came out strong, demonstrating why they are considered one of the favourites to lift the cup in Manila on 10 September.

Brian Goorjian’s men - who led the entire game - were up 57-35 at the half, stopping Japan from running amok and killing them on the interior.

Japan were led by Josh Hawkinson’s 33 points and 24 from Watanabe Yuta but young point guard Kawamura Yuki, the star of the Finland game, had just three points.

Tominaga Keisei, the University of Nebraska hero whose 3s off the bench were instrumental against Finland, scored eight points. He was 0-for-10 from downtown.

Watanabe said Japan dug themselves too deep of a hole in the first half to climb out of it against a disciplined Australian team who executed the game plan to perfection.

“Obviously Australia are the better team but in the first half they outworked us. Getting all the rebounds, getting all the 50-50 balls - that cannot happen,” said the new Phoenix Suns signing.

“It’s what we talked about at halftime. We have to do it for 40 minutes; 20 minutes is not enough.”

“The same thing happened against Germany,” Japan coach Tom Hovasse added, referring to their opening defeat to the Germans.

“The strength and the length and the skill set hit us a little bit and it takes time to adjust. But until halftime is too long of an adjustment period.

“We can’t do that moving forward. When you’re playing teams like Germany and Australia, 20 minutes is not enough.”

More from