Basketball On The Internet.

THE BOOMERS are off to a flying start in their World Cup preparation campaign with the twin scalps of Finland and Ukraine so far in Lithuania.

The Baby Boomers also are off to a winning start at the FIBA World Under-17 Championship in Dubai in a great weekend so far for Basketball Australia.

Lobbing in Lithuania after 48 hours in the air, the Boomers understandably lacked bounce in their opener against the Fins, still winning 100-95 in Klaipeda.

The “glass half empty” brigade were quick to pounce, judging by my email stream.

“A medal shot? Really?” was the tenor which always makes me scratch my head.

Isn’t the purpose of playing nine leadup games to get the team in sync for the World Cup?

Isn’t it the WC that matters?

I can recall one year the Boomers lit up a leadup Goodwill Games tournament in the US, then subsequently took a beating at the Worlds.

Patience is a virtue, especially when your team is jetlagged to begin with.

Finland, ranked 39th in the world by FIBA – Australia is ranked #9 in case you were wondering – led 82-72 with a quarter to play.

But the Boomers dug deep, Joe Ingles leading the way with 20 points, including the game-clinching 3-pointer.

Brock Motum added 17 points and Brad Newley 15.

Up against Ukraine, the Boomers blitzed early, leading 18-4.

When I remembered to switch on the live streaming, it was something like 51-21 and the Aussies were soaring.

The Boomers led the 45th ranked Ukrainians by 33 at one stage before finishing quietly for a 75-60 win not truly reflective of their dominance.

Coach Andrej Lemanis got virtually a quarter into all 12 men in his rotation, Dante Exum leading an even scoring spread with 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting.

David Andersen had 13 on 5-of-8 shooting, Ingles and Newley with 10 apiece at a sizzling 80 and 67 per cent respectively.

Aron Baynes grabbed seven boards while Matthew Dellavedova and Adam Gibson both dished five assists.

The boys have some breathing space now before tackling host Lithuania on Tuesday.

IN Dubai, the Aussies started their Under-17 campaign by surviving a thrilling overtime battle with Japan 97-84.

It was 77-77 at the end of regulation but the Aussies, led by Dejan Vasiljevic, went on a 20-7 blitz in the five-minute extension.

Vasiljevic had six of his match-high 23 points in the overtime and also hauled in 11 boards.

Centre Isaac Humphries also dominated in the paint with a 16-point, 14-rebound double-double and Kouat Noi added 17 points with 9 boards.

France is next on the schedule tonight.