Paris 2024 Olympics basketball: Boomers secure nervy 92-80 win over Spain in campaign opener

The Australian men’s basketball team began their Paris 2024 Olympics campaign on a winning note after beating Spain 92-80 in the opening Group A game.

Playing at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille, the Boomers secured a nervy win thanks to a clinical performance from Jock Landale, who scored 20 points. Captain Patty Mills scored 19 points for the Boomers while Josh Giddey chipped in with 17 points.

For Spain, Santi Aldama stole the show with 27 points but he failed to inspire his side to victory despite providing stiff resistance, especially in the third quarter.

It was the Boomers who took charge of the contest and opened up a 14-5 lead early on. Spain couldn’t match the tempo set by the Australian players and the Boomers secured a 31-21 lead in the first quarter.

Spain, however, fought their way back into the contest in the second quarter. Sergio Llull scored two three-pointers to bring his side back into the contest and close the gap down to 31-27.

Australia were able to stretch their lead once again to 38-28. However, Spain kept coming back thanks to an inspired performance from Aldama as the Boomers went into the half-time break with a slender 49-42 lead.

The third quarter proved to be a closely fought battle between the two sides as Spain briefly took the lead of the contest at 56-54 with Aldama netting a three-pointer.

With their backs to the wall, Australia retook the lead with Mills making it 57-54. The Boomers then made it 60-56 before extending the lead to 69-60 at the end of the third quarter.

Going into the final quarter with a nine-point lead, Australia surged ahead after Nick Kay clinched two points.

However, Llull made two consecutive three-pointers while Aldama grabbed another three-pointer to close the gap down to 75-71 and make it a tense final few minutes for the Boomers.

Jock Landale and Mills scored two-pointers each to stretch the lead to eight points and give the side some breathing room. The Boomers were clinical for the remainder of the final quarter and went on to close the match 92-80.

This was the first time that the two sides faced each other at the Olympics since the bronze medal match at Rio 2016. That game had ended in heartbreak for the Boomers after they conceded late points in the dying minutes to lose 89-88 and finished fourth.

The Australian men’s basketball team will take on Canada in their second group-stage match at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Tuesday at the same venue.