CIV 73-78 AUS
The stakes were heightened for Australia’s clash against Côte d’Ivoire with the top spot in Group D on the line in the early stages of the tournament.
The first quarter was evenly poised for the most part, as Cote d’Ivoire beat the buzzer to take a 15-14 lead into the quarter-time break.
A shaky start to the second quarter for the Crocs allowed Côte d’Ivoire to push the tempo and extend their lead to 10, until a spirited defensive shift and fast paced offensive clawed Australia back into contention. William Hamilton nailed a buzzer-beater to close out the half, trailing 36-35.
Trading blows back and forth throughout the third quarter, Côte d’Ivoire still maintained the lead for the majority of the term. Closing out the third Côte d’Ivoire scored yet another buzzer-beater, this time from three to take the lead into the final break 56-53.
It was a chippy fourth quarter, with Antonio Browne pushing the pace as the Crocs marginally trailed for the opening few minutes of the quarter. However, the Crocs duo of Luke Paul and Will Hamilton came up clutch on repeated efforts. Hamilton provided a scoring spark with 16 points to close out the night, whilst Paul led the charge on both ends of the court with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks in an almighty performance.
This win sets the Crocs up for the next round, currently the only undefeated team remaining in Group D.
The Crocs will return in the early hours of Wednesday July 1 morning, tipping off at 12:30am against Venezuela for their final group stage match.
Remaining group stage fixtures:
|
DATE |
GAME |
TIME (AEST) |
|
1 July |
12:30 am |
Where to watch:
All Group Stage and Round of 16 games are available to watch Live on FIBA YouTube.
The Final Phase Games (Quarter Finals, Semi Finals, Finals) are available on Courtside 1891.
