Chris Goulding has despatched a scare by the Boomers’ camp after hurting his proper knee in Australia’s 97-41 dismantling of Venezuela at Rod Laver Arena.
Goulding pulled up sore in a collision early within the fourth quarter of the Monday evening rout earlier than calling for a substitute and limping off to obtain remedy.
He returned to the bench within the dying minutes along with his knee iced however in no apparent discomfort.
Goulding’s damage, on prime of the absence of Jock Landale (ankle), are the Boomers’ main considerations main into the World Cup within the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, which begins subsequent Friday.
In Landale’s absence, centre Duop Reath, who performed beneath Boomers coach Brian Goorjian with Illawarra’s NBL workforce in 2021-22, pressed his claims for choice within the last 12-man squad, top-scoring with 26 factors at 86 per cent.
Reath was the chief beneficiary of the playmaking wizardry of NBA gun Josh Giddey (14 factors, eight rebounds, 9 assists), who flirted with a triple-double and was described by Boomers legend Andrew Gaze as “Magic Johnson-like”.
Guard Garly Sojo (12 factors) was the one participant to notch double digits for Venezuela, who had been brutalised 27-7 and 21-4 within the center two quarters.
“We turned the ball over a lot,” Goorjian stated.
“The cornerstone for us moving forward is the defensive end of the floor.
“I actually consider as we develop, we’ll be OK offensively.
“Defending and rebounding, we did a good job of that tonight.”
The Giddey-Reath present launched Australia to an early 12-2 lead earlier than the Seventeenth-ranked vacationers hit again with a 9-0 burst to shut to 12-11.
It was by no means shut once more.
Veteran Joe Ingles caught hearth from the perimeter and captain Patty Mills accomplished a miraculous four-point play because the Boomers prolonged their 27-16 quarter-time result in 54-23 at halftime.
Venezuela misfired seven first-half airballs earlier than being pressured into 10 third-quarter turnovers within the face of the Aussies’ smothering defence.
The Boomers’ ball use turned sloppy within the fourth they usually had been outscored 12-2 throughout one ugly stretch.
They will wish to tidy that up on Wednesday after they tackle Brazil, who defeated South Sudan 85-75 within the earlier sport.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
