The stage is set for our Australian Boomers tonight, as we go head to head against a cagey veteran led Argentina side looking to cause an upset!
Australia go into this game as heavy favourites, after going 3-0 in group play, whilst Argentina needed to beat a gallant Japanese side in their final outing to claim one of the 3rd place spots in the Quarter Finals.
Even with the Boomers heavily favoured tonight, we can’t go taking this Argentina team lightly.
They’ve been there and done this far too many times, and are led by a man who seems like he’s been playing forever!
Luis Scola is still giving the world stage buckets, and at 41 years of age, his match up with Jock Landale may very well decide the outcome of this contest.
Landale has been brilliant over the last couple of games, posting back to back 18 point games, and will need to be aggressive tonight to get the Argentinian star in foul trouble early.
Another match up to watch tonight will be the battle between two incredibly talented point guards, both who wear their heart on their sleeve.
Patty Mills goes head to head with Facundo Campazzo, and the little Argentinian will be all up in Patty’s grill all night long.
Delly may get the assignment at the other end of the floor guarding Campazzo, which will give Patty all the energy he needs to execute offensively for us and get the boys over the line tonight!
The opponent of this matchup is set, with Team USA running out 14 point winners over a Spain team led brilliantly by Ricky Rubio, who did everything he could posting 38 Points!
In the end for Spain, Ricky had no help what so ever, as Kevin Durant (29 Points) and co. put it on Spain late in this one.
Their ball movement and spacing was something to marvel, and one the Boomers will have to be ready for if they get through tonight.
Joe Ingles and Matisse Thybulle may very well be the X-Factors for the Boomers tonight.
We know what we are going to get out of Patty, who is never afraid to get his shot off even if the going gets tough.
But the likes of Ingles and Thybulle need to spread the floor and hit shots to make it all that much simpler for Patty to do his thing!
Matisse will also be called upon to guard Argentina’s X-Factor off the bench, Gabriel Deck.
Deck has spent some time in the league, most recently with OKC, and will look to carry their bench unit along with another member of the NBA Family Luca Vildoza.
Thybulle and Exum will have their hands full defensively against this pairing, but will still look to get out and go against an aging Argentina squad.
The worst thing the Boomers could do is look ahead to a potential mouth-watering battle with Team USA on Thursday.
Take care of business early tonight and finish the game strong, just like our Opals did last night!
Go the Boomers!!
Bauky