1st day winners
Australia, Japan, Chinese Taipei beat rivals
BEIRUT, Lebanon Eearly favorite Australia led opening day winners of the Fiba Asia Cup 2017 at the Beirut Nouhad Nawfal Sports Complex here Tuesday by crushing Japan, 84-68.
The Boomers used their size and athleticism to control the game against Japan, finding their rhythm on either side of the half time break.
Australia had five players reach double figures in a team effort that saw them register 23 assists, as the scoring was led by 13-a-piece from Cameron Gliddon and Jason Cadee.
Tenketsu Harimoto led Japan with 13 as Yuki Togashi added 12.
In other games, Chinese Taipei routed Hong Kong, 77-62, while New Zealand Tall Blacks thrashed Kazakhstan, 70-49.
Hong Kong controlled the first half with Duncan Reid scoring 19 points but Chinese Taipei's PoChen Chou turned the game on its head in the second half.
With 18 points in the second half alone, Chou and Chinese Taipei recovered to secure the win.
Chou finished with 22 points while Po-Hsun Chou added 16 points and 13 boards.
New Zealand, meanwhile, put the game out of reach in the third quarter, where they outscored Kazakhstan, 25-15, and cruised the rest of the way.
The 23-year-old Derone Raukawa led the Tall Blacks with 17 points and six rebounds as Finn Delaney chipped in a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double.
Alexandr Zhigulin top scored for Kazakhstan with nine baskets.
The Philippines was set to play mighty China as of yesterday presstime.