Sports Buzz

Tag: South Sudan

  • Celtics star’s cryptic message after Team USA forced into late Olympic change

    Celtics star’s cryptic message after Team USA forced into late Olympic change

    Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown has turned heads with a cryptic post after Team USA were forced to replaced a player on their 12-man roster.

    Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard was forced to withdraw due to lingering injuries he sustained last season.

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    “Kawhi has been ramping up for the Olympics over the past several weeks and had a few strong practices in Las Vegas,” USA Basketball said in a statement.

    “He felt ready to compete. However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers determined it’s in his best interest to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming season rather than participating in the Olympic Games in Paris.”

    Things however became interesting when Leonard’s replacement was named with reports Boston Celtics guard Derrick White had earned the call up.

    Derrick White got the call up. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
    No room for you Jaylen. Nick Cammett/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP

    The decision to go with White as the 12th man seemingly didn’t sit well with fellow Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown.

    Brown is coming off his best season in the NBA where he won the Finals MVP after Boston defeated the Dallas Mavericks to win the title.

    After news broke that White had been selected to replace Leonard, Brown took to social media where he posted three emojis looking through a monocle.

    He followed that up a few hours later with a more direct message as he wrote: “@nike this is what we doing?”

    Brown later deleted the post where he targeted Nike in the wake of his Olympics snub.

    Jaylen Brown was seemingly not happy after being overlookedSource: Supplied

    While Brown has every right to be upset after being overlooked, White has earned his place with his defensive abilities likely landing him the spot.

    White is an elite defensive and two-way player who earned All-Defensive team honours for a second consecutive season.

    His inclusion in the 12-man squad means the Celtics have three players heading to the Olympics with White, Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday.

    Team USA are chasing a fifth straight Olympic gold medal, in a run of dominance that has seen them win seven out of the past eight Olympics.

    They will line up in Group C at the Olympics where they’ll go up against Puerto Rico, South Sudan and Serbia.

    Group B consists of Brazil, France, Germany and Japan while Group A has Australia, Canada, Greece and Spain.

    Ahead of the Olympics taking place Team USA will lock horns with Australia in Abu Dhabi with the match to take place on July 16 (AEST).

    Team USA Olympic Draw

    Sunday, July 29: vs Serbia

    Thursday, August 1: vs South Sudan

    Sunday, August 4: vs Puerto Rico

    – with Erich Richter, NY Post

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  • Team USA’s terrifying 12-man squad for upcoming Olympic Games

    Team USA’s terrifying 12-man squad for upcoming Olympic Games

    Watch out world, Team USA mean business.

    The most dominant basketball nation on planet Earth aren’t taking their foot off the gas as they prepare for the Paris Olympics with a loaded squad.

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    A photo of the 12-man squad was shared to social media and it’s an image that should leave every other nation shaking in their Nikes.

    With an outrageous talent pool to pick from, Team USA will head into the 2024 Olympics with a team that has achieved everything on offer in the NBA.

    Led by LeBron James, the squad features a group that have a combined 8 MVP trophies, 2 Defensive Player of the Year awards, 84 All Star appearances and 15 NBA titles.

    The 12-man roster consists of James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Kawhi Leonard, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Devin Booker and Jrue Holiday.

    The group are set to cash in for the 2024/25 season with their combined contracts coming in at an outrageous $809 million (AUD).

    To put the staggering wealth into context, the entire Australian Boomers squad will earn around $81 million.

    Curry single-handedly will earn more next season with a whopping $82.4m contract for the Golden State Warriors.

    Team USA are going to torch the OlympicsSource: Supplied
    Team USA in a practice session. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    Team USA are chasing a fifth straight Olympic gold medal, in a run of dominance that has seen them win seven out of the past eight Olympics.

    They will line up in Group C at the Olympics where they’ll go up against Puerto Rico, South Sudan and Serbia.

    Group B consists of Brazil, France, Germany and Japan while Group A has Australia, Canada, Greece and Spain.

    Team USA Olympic Draw

    Sunday, July 29: vs Serbia

    Thursday, August 1: vs South Sudan

    Sunday, August 4: vs Puerto Rico

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  • Boomers’ ‘pool of death’ locked in as Andrew Bogut reveals his ‘huge concern’ for medal chances

    Boomers’ ‘pool of death’ locked in as Andrew Bogut reveals his ‘huge concern’ for medal chances

    The Boomers may have won bronze at the Tokyo Games but even getting out of the group stage at this year’s Olympics will be a challenge after Australia’s pool for Paris was locked in.

    Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was emotional as he helped Greece book an Olympic berth, scoring 23 points in a 80-69 qualifying tournament win over Croatia.

    Elsewhere, Spain defeated the Bahamas 86-78 to also progress through to Group A at this year’s Olympics, which will now feature Greece, Australia and Canada.

    The four teams will battle it out in Lille, where the Boomers will be up against it from the jump as they look to get out of what Andrew Bogut described as the “pool of death”.

    BOOMERS WINNERS AND LOSERS: Reaction to the 12-man squad

    Aussies will struggle to medal in Paris? | 03:20

    “I think realistically talking, I think the podium is going to be very hard, if we’re being honest,” Bogut said on NBL Media’s ‘The Gold Standard’ podcast.

    “I think they need a really good run and some lucky bounces. In these tournaments, you need a lucky bounce every now and then. You need something, a lucky quarter or someone fouls out, someone gets hurt, whatever it is on the other team, and you have a good little run there. “But we’ve got the pool of death and people aren’t talking about that. We’ve got a pool that’s going to get two qualifiers from Europe.”

    Bogut went on to argue the fact both Spain and Greece are coming off hard-fought qualifiers will only make it will harder for Australia to get out of Group A when comparing the Boomers’ preparations for Paris.

    “I hate having two qualifiers because they’re playing basketball right now. They’re playing games that matter,” Bogut said.

    “They’re not playing China. They’re not playing USA in a friendly and Serbia in a friendly where there’s going to be antics and hiding sets and all that kind of stuff. These qualifiers they’re playing, they mean everything.

    “So they’re running everything, they’re getting in tune and they flow into the Olympics with great form. On top of that, we have Canada.”

    ‘He looks old’ – Patty shouldn’t start?! | 02:43

    That Canada team is stacked with NBA talent, headlined by Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray and OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was an MVP contender last season.

    Elsewhere, Getting past Greece will involve finding a way to limit Antetokounmpo’s effectiveness, while Spain is currently No.2 in FIBA World Rankings.

    The top two teams in each group will advance along with the two best third-placed teams across the board, which will bring the total to eight nations in the quarter-finals.

    However, as Bogut explained, the Boomers won’t want to be relying on being one of those two superior third-placed teams given the strength of the competition in their pool.

    “We don’t have a percentage booster team in our pool,” he said.

    “That’s a huge concern for me. You look at the other two pools, South Sudan, they battle, but they’re probably most likely going to get smacked every now and then. And Japan’s in the other pool.

    “So those third placed teams that finished third can probably beat up on them and maybe get a 20-point win booster percentage. Even if we get a win or two or whatever it is, our percentage isn’t going to be as great. We have to aim at winning two out of three of those games.

    “If we get that third spot, we’re leaving it up to chance and the percentages of chance are not in our favour. So I think we have the toughest pool. I think it’s going to be really tough. I think podium would be amazing. If we get on the podium out of this pool, that’s an amazing run, but I think it’s going to be tough, very, very tough to get through.”

    BOOMERS’ PARIS OLYMPIC DRAW (Times AEST)

    Group A:

    Saturday, July 27: vs Spain from 7pm

    Tuesday, July 30: vs Canada from 9.30pm

    Friday, August 2: vs Greece from 9.30pm

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  • Boomers brace for ‘Group of Death’, Opals set for tough road as 2024 Olympics basketball draw revealed

    Boomers brace for ‘Group of Death’, Opals set for tough road as 2024 Olympics basketball draw revealed

    The Boomers may have collected their first-ever medal at the Olympics in Tokyo but even getting to the second round this year looks a tough challenge for Brian Goorjian.

    Why? Well, the Olympic basketball draw took place in Switzerland on Wednesday morning [AEDT] and the results were not favourable for Australia’s men’s team.

    Sure, the fact that only 12 teams qualify for the Olympics in the first place means the level of competition is always going to be high as is.

    But the Boomers face a particularly tough road to the podium after being drawn into what has already been branded the ‘Group of Death’, with Josh Giddey set to take on Oklahoma City teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

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    NBA Wrap: Edwards produces EPIC dunk | 01:42

    Gilgeous-Alexander’s Canada, who beat Team USA to finish third at last year’s FIBA World Cup, is the only other nation locked into Group A alongside Australia.

    Canada, of course, is stacked with NBA talent and likely to be bolstered by the inclusion of championship-winning guard Jamal Murray, who withdrew from the World Cup last year.

    Australia’s other two opponents will be determined by two qualifying tournaments in Spain and Greece.

    Spain hosts Angola, Finland, Lebanon, Poland and the Bahamas in the first of the tournaments and is more than likely to book its spot in Group A.

    Greece, meanwhile, will play host in the other tournament which also features Croatia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, New Zealand and Slovenia.

    Slovenia, Greece and Croatia loom as the most likely candidates to come out of that tournament on top, although the Dominican Republic surprised Italy at last year’s World Cup to prove it is no easy-beat.

    Either way, the Boomers have to finish in the top two of Group A to progress through to the second round and that will be quite the task.

    NBA Wrap: Wild double buzzer beater! | 01:20

    Slovenia, of course, ended the Boomers’ World Cup campaign last year on the back of some Luka Doncic magic while Giannis Antetokounmpo would be just as hard to handle should Greece book its ticket to Lille, where the pool games will take place.

    Spain, meanwhile, would present a unique mental challenge for the Boomers, who were denied bronze by the No. 2 ranked nation at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

    The path to a medal is challenging for the Opals too, who have been drawn into a group alongside No.5 Canada, No.7 France and No. 12 Nigeria.

    The Opals lost to France 70-57 in their opening game of the 2022 FIBA World Cup before beating Canada 75-72 in a thriller to book their spot in the knockout stage.

    All eyes will be on whether Lauren Jackson suits up for one final shot at a medal, having previously indicated she wouldn’t be heading to the Games before then leaving the door open.

    MEN’S BASKETBALL AT PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

    Group A: Australia, Canada, TBD, TBD

    Group B: France, Germany, Japan, TBD

    Group C: Serbia, South Sudan, USA, TBD

    WOMEN’S BASKETBALL AT PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

    Group A: Serbia, Spain, China, Puerto Rico

    Group B: Canada, Nigeria, Australia, France

    Group C: Germany, USA, Japan, Belgium

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  • Teammate’s touching reaction as Duop Reath continues remarkable rise with new NBA deal

    Teammate’s touching reaction as Duop Reath continues remarkable rise with new NBA deal

    Duop Reath’s remarkable NBA rise has continued, with the Boomers big man signed on a new three-year contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.

    It is a well-deserved reward for Reath, who was initially signed onto a two-way deal by the Blazers after impressing in the 2023 Summer League, averaging 13.0 points and 7.4 rebounds in five games.

    Two-way contracts allow NBA teams to carry three additional players along with the 15 on their regular season roster, often assigning them to their G League affiliate and calling them up if needed.

    Reath though has established himself as a key part of Portland’s NBA rotation this season, starting 11 games and making a total of 40 appearances while averaging 8.9 points and 3.8 rebounds.

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    Warriors denied in bold move for LeBron | 01:03

    Two-way players are eligible to be active for up to 50 of their team’s 82 regular season games, meaning it was always going to be a strong possibility that he would have his contract upgraded.

    Reath saw a more prominent role after Robert Williams III was ruled out for the rest of the season with a right knee injury in November.

    The 27-year-old’s outside shooting, passing and floor spacing made him the perfect addition alongside regular starter Deandre Ayton, with the rookie shooting 38.5 per cent from downtown.

    Sean Highkin reported on The Rose Garden Report that in recent weeks “there were questions about whether Reath and his representatives would be open to a multi-year deal”.

    “He’s played well enough this season that he might have had a legitimate market around the league if he had hit free agency, and at 27 years old, this might have been his best chance for a real payday,” Highskin wrote.

    That in itself spoke to Reath’s high level of play on both ends of the floor for Portland this season.

    While that may have been the case, Reath was keen to stay put and his teammates made it clear on social media they were just as happy to see the rookie centre extend his contract.

    Reath, who was born in South Sudan before his family moved to Australia, detailing his incredible journey to Trail Blazers and Boomers teammate Matisse Thybulle earlier this month.

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  • LeBron, Steph, Embiid headline scary superstar US Olympic squad as juggernaut eyes fifth-straight gold

    LeBron, Steph, Embiid headline scary superstar US Olympic squad as juggernaut eyes fifth-straight gold

    LeBron James, Stephen Curry and reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid were named among a 41-strong player pool for the USA’s 2024 Olympics basketball roster this week.

    The star-studded roster will be whittled down to a 12-man squad for this summer’s Olympics in Paris, where the US will be chasing a fifth consecutive gold medal.

    The provisional player pool contains 28 players who have represented the USA at an Olympics or FIBA World Cup, with 23 gold medals between them.

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    LeBron James and Kevin Durant have both been named in the2024 Olympics USA extended squad (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

    The 39-year-old James will be chasing a third gold medal in what will be his first appearance at an Olympics since the 2012 London Games.

    “The United States boasts unbelievable basketball talent and I am thrilled that many of the game’s superstars have expressed interest in representing our country at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games,” USA Basketball men’s national team managing director Grant Hill said in a statement.

    “It is a privilege to select the team that will help us toward the goal of once again standing atop the Olympic podium.

    “This challenging process will unfold over the next several months as we eagerly anticipate the start of national team activity.” Philadelphia 76ers star Embiid is set to play for the United States for the first time after pledging his allegiance to the squad last October.

    The Cameroon-born superstar was eligible to play for the country of his birth, France and the United States, but opted for a US squad which will enter the Olympics as overwhelming gold medal favourites.

    Doc Rivers lands the Milwaukee job | 00:46

    The team will be coached by Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, with Gonzaga University’s Mark Few, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Tyronn Lue and Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra acting as assistants.

    USA Basketball also announced plans for pre-Olympic Games in Las Vegas and London.

    The US will play Canada in Las Vegas on July 10, before exhibition games against South Sudan on July 20 and Germany on July 22 at London’s O2 Arena.

    USA basketball 2024 Olympics player pool: Bam Adebayo, Jarrett Allen, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Scottie Barnes, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Jimmy Butler, Alex Caruso, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid, De’Aaron Fox, Paul George, Aaron Gordon, Tyrese Haliburton, James Harden, Josh Hart, Tyler Herro, Jrue Holiday, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Ingram, Kyrie Irving, Jaren Jackson Jr., LeBron James, Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Bobby Portis, Austin Reaves, Duncan Robinson, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Trae Young.

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  • ‘He believed in me’: Socceroos rookie’s huge praise for ex-Aussie star

    ‘He believed in me’: Socceroos rookie’s huge praise for ex-Aussie star

    Kusini Yengi has paid tribute to former Socceroos striker Carl Veart for his influence in a football journey that has the Porstmouth marksman on the verge of a national team debut in Thursday night’s World Cup qualifier against Bangladesh at AAMI Park.

    Now Adelaide United’s A-League coach, Veart first guided the fortunes of Yengi. now 24, when the attacker was part of Football South Australia’s National Training Centre (NTC) program.

    “He coached me since I was 14 and then when I broke into the (Adelaide) A-League squad, he was there, so having him on the sidelines gave me a lot of confidence,” Yengi said on Tuesday.

    “I knew how much he believed in me as a player and he helped me make the next step, (and) the next step, (and) the next step, and then when I was a professional, he was there on the sidelines.”

    Yengi, whose father was born in South Sudan, said Veart’s influence also extended across a host of players with African heritage who got their start in the South Australian system.

    They include the Toure brothers Al Hassan, Mohamed and Musa, Nestory Irankunda and Yaya Dukuly.

    Adelaide United coach Carl Veart has played a leading role in the development of Kusini. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

    “I think he played a big role in myself and Al Hassan, and a lot of the boys that have come through to become professionals,” said Yengi, who added it was an “honour” to represent the African community in the Australian team.

    “Growing up when I was a kid, there wasn’t too many players of African descent coming through in the Socceroos, but lately there’s been more and more.

    “Players like Awer Mabil and Thomas Deng are players that have played really well for the Socceroos, have been part of the squad numerous times and they’re boys that I know and boys that I grew up watching, and once I saw them come through, it’s motivating seeing them play.

    “If I play (against Bangladesh) it’s going to be my debut. It’s something that not many people get to experience. I can’t wait, and hopefully we get the win.”

    Arnold announces squad for WC Qualifiers | 02:18

    Veart never doubted that Yengi was good enough to play for the Socceroos, with a host of injury setbacks as he was growing being all that had been holding him back.

    “The way he’s managed himself through those injury disappointments and kept working, he’s been a credit to himself,” a proud Veart said.

    “We’ve always known that he could play for the Socceroos, it was just a matter of whether he got his body right, because he definitely had the mental aptitude to get to that level.”

    If not for an ankle injury he suffered in August at a Portsmouth training session, Yengi would probably already have his first cap.

    “When I got the ankle injury, it was a bit disappointing, but I just channelled my focus into getting back on the pitch and trying to score goals and get back in contention for being in the squad,” he said.

    In nine appearances in all competitions for English League One (third tier) club, Yengi has scored five goals.

    “I put in a lot of work in the off-season to get my body right and to go over there feeling confident, fit and healthy,” he said.

    “When I got over there, I felt like I was already a step ahead and there’s a lot of similarities between the A-League and League One.

    “The teammates that I had over there embraced me really well and let me be myself.”

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  • Team dumped out of WC despite epic USA boilover as first semi-finalist locked in

    Team dumped out of WC despite epic USA boilover as first semi-finalist locked in

    Serbia became the first team to reach the Basketball World Cup semi-finals after beating Lithuania 87-68 as the knockout phase got underway on Tuesday in Manila.

    Bogdan Bogdanovic had 21 points for Serbia, who will play either Canada or Slovenia in the semi-finals on Friday.

    Lithuania went into the game as the tournament’s only unbeaten team after downing the United States in their previous outing.

    But Serbia took control in the second quarter, outscoring Lithuania 25-13 to open up a lead that they never gave back.

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    Serbia celebrates after winning their way into the semis.Source: Getty Images

    Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Bogdanovic had 18 points in the first half alone for Serbia.

    Bogdanovic finished as his team’s top scorer, followed by Filip Petrusev with 17 points and Stefan Jovic with 11.

    Tadas Sedekerskis was Lithuania’s top scorer with 14 points, followed by Rokas Jokubaitis with 13.

    Lithuania could not repeat the strong start they made against the US, where they nailed their first nine three-point attempts before going on to claim a 110-104 win.

    Lithuania couldn’t back up their massive win over the USA.Source: Getty Images

    Serbia were playing without power forward Borisa Simanic, who underwent surgery to remove a kidney on Sunday after being injured earlier in the tournament.

    Simanic was hit by a South Sudan player’s elbow during a pool game on August 30. Nikola Jokic, who led the Denver Nuggets to last season’s NBA title and was named MVP of the Finals, is not appearing for Serbia at the World Cup as he rests ahead of the new season.

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  • ‘This team is a beam of light’: World No.62 seal Olympics spot after epic WC run

    ‘This team is a beam of light’: World No.62 seal Olympics spot after epic WC run

    South Sudan and Japan both qualified for the Paris Olympics at the Basketball World Cup on Saturday as the tournament’s highest-placed finishers from Africa and Asia.

    World Cup debutants South Sudan, who played their first official international game only six years ago, beat Angola 101-78 in Manila to claim their third win of the competition.

    Nearest challengers Egypt then lost 88-86 to New Zealand to send South Sudan to Paris, completing the world number 62-ranked team’s fairytale rise on the world stage.

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    The country has lurched from one crisis to another since winning independence in 2011 but the team’s World Cup performances have captured the public’s imagination, with crowds gathering to watch on giant screens in the capital Juba.

    An emotional head coach Royal Ivey said they had brought “unity, camaraderie, love and friendship” to the country.

    “This team is a beam of light,” he said.

    “This country has only been independent for 12 years. To do this is incredible.”

    Team South Sudan celebrates after their big win.Source: AFP

    South Sudan have won plaudits for their dynamic play and positive attitude on and off the court at the World Cup being held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

    They pulled off a historic win when they beat basketball-obsessed China in their second game, before downing the Philippines in the classification stage.

    South Sudan captain Kuany Ngor Kuany said he was proud to “create history” by representing his country.

    “We’ve had a lot of athletes representing different countries under different flags,” said Kuany, who was born in South Sudan but moved to Australia as a nine-year-old.

    “For us to be able to do it for the first time as a country really means a lot and that’s why we were fighting so hard to be able to get that opportunity.”

    South Sudan’s Majok Deng (R) gestures during the game.Source: AFP

    – Japan clinch spot –

    Japan claimed their place at the Paris Games with a nervy 80-71 win over Cape Verde in Okinawa.

    Japan had not qualified for the Olympic basketball tournament except as hosts for 48 years, but their third win of the World Cup put them out of reach of their nearest Asian challengers.

    They came from behind late to beat both Finland and Venezuela and head coach Tom Hovasse said they had “gained the respect of our opponents”.

    “I think we showed the world what we can do, and now we’re on everybody’s radar, we’re on everybody’s map,” said the American, who led Japan’s women’s team to the Olympic silver medal in Tokyo two years ago.

    “Gaining respect is a big step, winning games at this level is a huge step, so I’m really proud of what we did.”

    Japan took control against Cape Verde but suffered a late meltdown that almost cost them the game.

    They conceded the first 13 points of the fourth quarter before they regained their composure to close out the win.

    Hovasse said the fourth quarter was “hectic and could have been disastrous” but trusted his players to come through in the end.

    Japan celebrate qualifying for the Olympics.Source: Getty Images

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    Japan’s win meant China were eliminated from Olympic qualifying contention before their game against the Philippines had even ended.

    In the event, they lost 96-75 to the co-hosts for their fourth defeat of the tournament.

    “Once you’re tired, once the difficulties start, you have to use your head — our head was not used in the proper way tonight in the second half,” said China head coach Aleksandar Djordjevic.

    The highest-placed World Cup finishers from each of Asia, Africa and Oceania all qualify for Paris, along with the top two teams from both Europe and the Americas.

    Australia have already claimed the Oceania berth, while France qualify automatically as hosts.

    Four further spots at the 12-team Olympic competition will be up for grabs at next year’s qualifying tournament

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  • The Boomers’ brutal path to World Cup glory explained as Luka Doncic duel awaits

    The Boomers’ brutal path to World Cup glory explained as Luka Doncic duel awaits

    The Boomers’ dream of FIBA World Cup glory remains alive after Australia comprehensively beat co-hosts Japan on Tuesday night to progress to the next round.

    But there’s still a long, hard ahead in the quest for a historic medal with Brian Goorjian’s team thrust into another tough group, where a unique tournament format means they’ll have be at considerable disadvantage against a team that’s already beaten them in this tournament.

    Tuesday night’s victory secured Australia’s progression to the second round as the second placed team in Group E. Unbeaten Germany topped the group after an upset win over the Boomers on Sunday.

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    Giddey bags double-double against Japan | 00:36

    WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

    The unique FIBA format for the tournament features two group stages, with the Boomers booking one of four spots in Group K.

    Notably, results from the first round carry over and the top two teams of each first round group are placed in the same group in the second stage, but do not play each other again. That’s significant because of tiebreak rules (see explanation below) that means Germany would progress ahead of Australia if they finish equal on points. It means, in all likelihood, the Boomers are going to have to win both of their matches in the second round to progress to the knockout stage.

    The other two teams in Group J will come from Group F and are yet to be confirmed, although Slovenia — led by NBA superstar Luka Doncic — is in pole position to top the group with Georgia, Cape Verde and Venezuela fighting it out for the other spot.

    Should Slovenia finish top of the Group after Wednesday night’s matches they will be the Boomers’ next opponents, on Friday night, in a rematch of the Tokyo 2020 bronze medal playoff.

    The tournament follows a standard knockout format of quarter-finals, semi-final and final beyond that. Should the Boomers get through they would face an opponent out of Group L — currently featuring defending champions Spain, Canada, Latvia and a to-be-determined team — in the last eight. The semi-finals would be the earliest possible stage Australia could run into tournament favourites USA.

    Australia has never won a medal at the world championships — losing the third place game to France in 2019 — but have set high expectations after securing a first Olympic medal in Tokyo two years ago.

    BOOMERS RESULTS SO FAR

    Australia def. Finland 98-72

    Australia lost to Germany 85-82

    Australia def Japan 109-89

    FINISHING ORDER AND QUALIFIERS FROM EVERY FIBA WORLD CUP GROUP

    Group A: Dominican Republic, Italy, Angola, Philippines

    Group B: Serbia, Puerto Rico, South Sudan, China (one round of games remaining)

    Group C: USA (guaranteed to advance), Greece, New Zealand, Jordan (eliminated) (one round of games remaining)

    Group D:Lithuania, Montenegro, Egypt, Mexico,

    Group E: Germany, Australia, Japan, Finland

    Group F: Slovenia, Georgia, Cape Verde, Venezuela (one round of games remaining)

    Group G: Spain (guaranteed to advance), Brazil, Cote d’Ivoire, Iran (eliminated) (one round of games remaining)

    Group H: Canada, Latvia, France, Lebanon

    SECOND ROUND GROUPS AND FORMAT

    GROUP I: Dominican Republic, Group B winner, Italy, Group B 2nd place finisher

    GROUP J: USA, Lithuania, Group C 2nd place finisher, Montenegro

    GROUP K: Germany, Group F winner, Australia, Group F 2nd place finisher

    GROUP L: Spain, Canada, Group G 2nd place finisher, Latvia

    The top two teams in each group advance to the quarter-finals. If teams finish on equal on points tiebreaks will be determined by the head-to-head record between teams (at any point in the tournament), points difference between tied teams, then overall points difference

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    Team USA ease past Giannis-less Greece | 01:05

    KNOCKOUT STAGE FORMAT AND DATES

    QUARTER FINALS (September 5-6)

    QF1: Winner of Group I vs 2nd place Group J

    QF2: Winner of Group J vs 2nd place Group I

    QF3: Winner of Group K vs 2nd place Group L

    QF4: Winner of Group L vs 2nd place Group K

    SEMI-FINALS (September 8)

    SF1: Winner of QF 1 vs Winner of QF3

    SF2: Winner of QF2 vs Winner of QF4

    FINAL & THIRD PLACE GAME (September 10)

    Winner of SF1 vs Winner of SF2

    Loser of SF1 vs Loser of SF2

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