Three games, three wins and more than 100 points in every outing has the Australian U18 Emus perfectly placed in the FIBA U18 Asia Cup.
The 3-0 record sends Australia through to Friday’s quarter final, where they will face the winner of Iran and India.
The quarter-final is scheduled for Friday, August 21, with tip-off time still to be confirmed.
For head coach Luke Brennan, the numbers are impressive, but it is the way the Emus are producing them that has been most pleasing.
“I love the way our offense is flowing. The boys are playing with a great pace and are playing unselfishly. It’s been fun to watch.”
Australia’s dominance has been eye-catching, averaging 106.3 points per game while allowing just 53.0.
That balance has been central to the Emus’ success.
“I think the key has actually been our defense. We have been defending well and that allows us to get out and run,” says Brennan.
That team-first approach has been reflected in the spread of contributors, which Brennan notes as being one of the biggest positives thus far.
“The boys are finding their own way to impact winning so far. It’s not all about scoring, everyone has a job to do and they are embracing their roles and doing it to the best of their ability.”
That spread of contributions has been noticeable across the board, with the Emus boasting several individual tournament leaders:
Jai Fa’ale: 5th in PPG (18.3)
Yahya Basaran: 2nd in RPG (12.0), 4th in BLK (2.7), 15th in PPG (14.0)
Bailey Hanson: 8th in APG (6.2)
Isaac Riddle: 16th in PPG (13.0)
With three days between games, Australia has used the break to recover before turning its attention to the knockout stage.
“Having 3 days off can be challenging… Today we will have a solid practice, and then tomorrow we will sharpen the sword once we know who our opponent is.”
The focus now shifts to the quarter-finals, with a semi-final berth on the line.
Quarter Final: Australia v winner of Iran v India
Date: Friday, August 21
Time: TBC
Where to watch:
All games are available to watch LIVE on FIBA YouTube.
