Australia’s pursuit of the FIBA World Cup title came to an end with a disappointing 91-80 loss to Slovenia in Japan. Despite Luka Doncic’s struggles with foul trouble and turnovers, Australia failed to capitalize and fell short in the crucial second-round fixture. This defeat served as sweet revenge for Doncic and his team, as Australia had previously beaten Slovenia to claim bronze at the 2021 Olympics.
In the game, Australia appeared hesitant to shoot and gave up costly rebounds, allowing Slovenia to take the lead early on. Doncic, constantly drawing double teams, displayed his playmaking skills by dishing off to his teammates, contributing to Slovenia’s strong start in the first quarter. However, an emotional moment led to Doncic committing a turnover and receiving a technical foul in the second quarter. Despite his absence for over six minutes, the Boomers were unable to take advantage, missing open shots and allowing Slovenia’s Mike Tobey and Aleksej Nikolic to score effectively.
Doncic’s foul trouble persisted in the third quarter, as Patty Mills drew his fourth foul early on. Nevertheless, Doncic played through it, and despite a late surge from Josh Giddey, Slovenia maintained their lead until the final stages of the quarter. In the final quarter, Slovenia responded to Australia’s initial score with a 15-2 run, ultimately unraveling the Boomers’ hopes of a maiden cup gold. Although Australia managed an 11-1 run in the closing minutes, it provided little consolation.
Due to a loss against Germany in the first round, Australia carried a 2-1 record into the next phase and required victories against Slovenia and Georgia to advance to the quarterfinals. Despite their exit from the tournament, the Boomers will still play their final game against Georgia before shifting their focus to the Paris Games.