Australia put on a show in fourth quarter and demolish Argentina to get into semis / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA

Australia became the last team to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics Basketball tournament semifinal.

Photo gallery

Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA Credit: FIBA

Australians beat Argentina 97-59 (18-22, 21-11, 21-15, 37-11) and will face Team USA in the semifinal battle. The game is scheduled for Thursday at 6:15 a.m. CET.

It is the second Olympics in a row when Australia made the semifinal. In 2016, Australians lost to Serbia (61-87) and then suffered defeat against Spain in the bronze game (88-89). Australia is yet to win an Olympic medal in a basketball tournament.

At the beginning of the second quarter Argentina was leading 24-21, but then Australia took control. Chris Goulding made a 3-pointer, Patty Mills made a layup, Joe Ingles knocked another 3-pointer, and Australia made a 15-4 run and took an 8-point lead (36-28).

However, Argentina showed character and came back after halftime. With 4:06 left in the third quarter, Gabriel Deck scored a 3-pointer, and Argentina’s deficit shrank to 6 points (45-51).

Despite that, Dante Exum made a hook shot, Nic Kay added a layup, while Exum converted another basket, and before the beginning of the fourth quarter, Australia was leading 60-48.

Australians closed the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Exum made a powerful dunk, Matisse Thybulle and Jock Landale hit from deep, and with 7:11 left to play, Australia’s lead ballooned to 20 points (68-48).

Patty Mills scored a game-high 18 points (4/11 2PT, 3/4 3PT, 1/2 FT) and added 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, and 14 EFF.

At the end of the game, both teams showed a brilliant gesture to the Argentinian legend Luis Scola. With 51 seconds remaining in the game, a 41-year-old veteran was substituted and got minute-long applause from both team players.

Scola himself, including few other Argentinian players couldn’t hold their tears.

In his last game with Argentina jersey, Scola scored 7 points and added 4 rebounds, 1 steal, and 4 EFF.

Australia: Patty Mills 18 (4/11 2PT, 3/4 3PT, 4 AST), Jock Landale (2/5 3PT, 7 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL) 12, Matisse Thybulle (3/5 3PT, 5 REB, 3 STL) 12, Joe Ingles 11 (3/8 3PT, 7 AST), Nick Kay 10 (4/5 2PT, 10 REB), Dante Exum 9 (5 REB), Nathan Sobey 8 (2/3 3PT).Argentina: Nicolas Laprovittola 16 (2/7 3PT, 4 AST), Gabriel Deck 12 (3/10 2PT, 2/4 3PT, 10 REB), Facundo Campazzo 9 (1/5 3PT, 5 AST, 6 TO), Luis Scola 7 (2/7 2PT), Marcos Delia 7 (5 REB).

Like what we are doing? Support us by becoming BN+ member.