Australia handed China its fourth-straight loss in the group stage of the men’s basketball tournament at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on Friday.
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Two days after nearly beating the world’s best, the United States, the Boomers put away the competition’s worst performers in their penultimate group game on Friday.
Star centre Andrew Bogut was rested against the competition’s poorest performing team, which gave coach Andrej Lemanis the opportunity to utilise more of the talent on his deep roster. With the Boomers’ win against China, it assures Australia of at least a second-place finish in Group A of men’s basketball.
“To be able to get some rest and recharge the batteries for him is the most important thing”, said fellow National Basketball Association star Patty Mills.
“Yi Jianlian got going early but we managed to shut him down after that”.
According to Xinhua, former Chicago Bulls forward Cameron Bairstow led the 2015 FBA Oceania Championships kings with 17 points and nine rebounds while shooting 7 for 13 from the field.
Easy: Damian Martin and the Boomers cruised to victory over China.
Yi Jianlian scored 20 to pace China.
In the final minutes before halftime, an Australian run pushed the lead to double figures, where it would stay for the rest of the game.
Heading into the game, China had the worst record of the 12 teams at the Games in points, rebounds and assists per game and fouls.
The Aussies extended their advantage throughout the contest, leading by five at quarter time, 10 at half time and 15 at three quarter time en route to the victory.
The gap blew out to the final 25-point margin in the final quarter.
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“I’ve said it before, I think this is the greatest team Australia has ever put together for an Olympic Games and that’s what we should strive for each time, try to be better”.
