Basketball On The Internet.

THON Maker may not have been Australia's best player in its FIBA World Cup qualifying 98-52 rout of Japan last night at John Cain Arena, but he certainly got the ball rolling by blocking consecutive shots before splashing a 3-pointer in a 12-0 Boomers rally that ended this as a contest. 

Trailing 5-7, the Boomers ignited after Maker smacked away two Japanese shots in the same offence and Clint Steindl's 3-pointer put Australia ahead.

Maker, en route to a game-high nine rebounds, then added a triple of his own and the Aussies were off to the races.

Buckets by Sam Froling, a dunk from Stendl and a Jack McVeigh basket drove the lead out to 17-7 and there was no way back for Japan.

Australia contained the visitors to a paltry four points in the second quarter, dominating it by a whopping 25-4 margin.

A 30-point halftime lead only further was enhanced by a 21-10 third period as the Boomers shared the ball and every player on the roster scored.

Relishing his extra opportunities, playmaker William McDowell-White made his case for more time with an equal game-high 14 points at 71 per cent, including 3-of-5 triples and a game-high six assists.

Sam McDaniel dropped 14 points in 18 minutes at 67 per cent, and 2-of-4 threes.

The Aussies were 17-of-39 from long range - once Japan's great strength but hardly evident in their 10-of-37 return from outside the arc - won the boards 47-32 and shared the ball to the tune of 25 assists.

In stark contrast, Japan had eight. A slight concern over a shoulder niggle to Jack White which restricted his involvement, was the only one ahead of Sunday's return match against China.

AUSTRALIA BOOMERS 98 (McDowell-White, McDaniel 14, Froling 12; Maker 9 rebs; McDowell-White 6 assts) d JAPAN 52 (Tominaga 18, Nishida 9, Fujii 8; Evans 6 rebs; Fujii 3 assts) at John Cain Arena.

*ALL pictures courtesy of FIBA.