Joe helps, but not enough
TweetSMOKIN’ Joe was smokin’ hot but the Boomers took a coast-to-coast 81-68 smackdown from arch rival Lithuania today in their penultimate Rio Olympics warm-up match.
Rejoining the Australian team after staying behind for the birth of twins to his wife Renae, Ingles – whose great play in Spain during the 2014 FIBA World Cup sank Lithuania - led the Boomers with 16 points, including 10-of-11 free throws.
TWO FOR TWO: Chris Goulding was perfect from long range.
Aron Baynes had seven rebounds with 14 points, Patty Mills with 11 points but Australia shot at just 40 per cent to Lithuania’s 52.
The Lithos also were 7-of-14 from 3-point territory to Australia’s 4-of-19, and that includes Chris Goulding’s 2-of-2 and Kevin Lisch’s 1-of-1. The rest of the Boomers shot 1-of-16.
That said, it still was a much more heartening performance than the recent rout by Brazil, Lithuania leading from the first basket but the Boomers committed in their relentless pursuit.
(And again, before reading too much into the result, please quote the Australians’ performances in their 2012 lead-up games ahead of the London Olympics. If you cannot, then you can understand their significance beyond match practice.)
DON’T FORGET: ESPN Australia will tomorrow show live the match between the defending Olympic champion USA and the Aussie Opals from Madison Square Garden from 6am eastern, 5.30 in SA and NT, 4am in the west.