Boomers Complete Qualifiers with Kazakhstan Demolition

Daniel Grida provided incredible energy and enthusiasm off the bench, as the Australian Boomers fired for a crushing 98-53 win over Kazakhstan to conclude the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifying stage.

It was the last of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers for the Boomers and after beating Bahrain 83-51 at the State Basketball Centre in Melbourne on Thursday, they backed up to dominate Kazakhstan on Sunday but didn't have it all their own way early.

Kazakhstan made a real game of it getting back within four points early in the second quarter, but that's when the Boomers took over and took full advantage of the turnovers they were forcing Kazakhstan into.

After Kazakhstan closed within four points, the Boomers scored 19 straight points with Blanchfield scoring seven of those. That helped them take a 19-point lead into half-time and three quick triples in the third term from Blanchfield blew that out to 31.

As the game unfolded, Kyle Adnam also got hot, Daniel Grida and Nick Marshall scored their first points representing the Boomers with dunks and they cruised to the eventual 45-point win.

The result means that the Boomers close the World Cup qualifying stage undefeated in games they played in. The only loss was away to Iran when they didn’t travel on government advice with the World Cup to now begin in late August throughout Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.

(via Basketball Australia)

The Boomers ended up shooting 48.1 per cent from the field while knocking down 14/32 from three-point land with Blanchfield hitting 7/12 of those and Adnam 3/7 on the court he calls home with the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

Australia ended up scoring 40 points from Kazakhstan's 28 turnovers for the game including 24 second chance points from 21 offensive rebounds in a strong all-round performance.

Todd Blanchfield might have had the least productive NBL season at the Perth Wildcats of his 373-game career, but showed again what he's still capable of with 31 points including the seven three-pointers.

Kyle Adnam also finished with 20 points, three rebounds and two assists with captain Nick Kay contributing 11 points, six boards and three assists.

There were plenty more contributors too with Rhys Vague adding seven points, four rebounds and three assists, Mitch McCarron seven points and five assists, Isaac Humphries six points, five rebounds and three assists, Mitch Norton six points and three assists, and Daniel Grida five points.

The game ended Kazakhstan's outside hopes of still qualifying for the World Cup with Ruslan Aitkali top-scoring with 12 points.