Australia heads into its highly anticipated showdown with Gilas Pilipinas brimming with confidence after delivering one of the most dominant performances in FIBA World Cup Qualifiers history.
The Boomers overwhelmed Guam, 124-52, in Perth on Saturday, rewriting the record books with a relentless display on both ends of the floor to remain unbeaten in the Asian Qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Far from the competitive 93-80 victory they posted over Guam in their previous meeting, Australia wasted no time asserting its dominance. The hosts controlled the contest from the opening tip and never looked back, piling up a historic 72-point victory that now stands as the largest winning margin ever recorded in a FIBA World Cup qualifying game.
Australia’s offensive fireworks were equally historic.
The Boomers knocked down an astonishing 24 three-pointers, setting a new all-time record for the most triples made in a World Cup qualifier. The previous benchmark of 22 was established by Mexico against Colombia in 2023, while Australia’s own previous best was 21 threes against Qatar in 2018.
Leading the long-range barrage was Tyrese Proctor, who buried six shots from beyond the arc on his way to 22 points. Angus Glover added 19 points behind five three-pointers, while Bryce Cotton and Jack McVeigh each connected on four triples.
Reyne Smith chipped in three makes from deep, with David Okwera and Mitch Creek also joining the three-point parade as seven Boomers combined for the record-setting shooting display.
The emphatic victory further solidified Australia as the clear front-runner in Group A, raising the degree of difficulty for Gilas Pilipinas as the Filipinos prepare for their final first-round assignment.
Gilas enters Monday’s matchup looking to recover from a heartbreaking double-overtime defeat to New Zealand that dropped the Philippines to 2-3 in the standings. Despite the setback, the Filipinos remain in contention and will now face their toughest challenge yet against an Australian squad firing on all cylinders.
With momentum, home-court advantage, and history on its side, Australia will seek to extend its perfect run, while Gilas aims to produce a statement victory that could revive its World Cup qualifying campaign.
The Australia-Gilas clash is scheduled for Monday, July 6, in Perth, with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m. (Philippine time). The game will be streamed live on the One Sports YouTube channel.