JEDDAH – China came agonizingly close to reclaiming FIBA Asia Cup glory but fell just short as Australia held on for a 90-89 victory in a thrilling final at the King Abdullah Sports City here on Sunday night.
The Boomers, led by Xavier Cooks’ 30 points and 9 rebounds, staged a dramatic comeback in the fourth quarter after trailing China by 15 early in the game.
Jaylin Galloway added 23 points and 5 rebounds, while William Hickey contributed 15 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:09 remaining that ultimately sealed the win.
Free throws from Will Magnay and Cooks in the final seconds kept Australia ahead, while Hu Mingxuan’s potential game-winning three-pointer rattled out at the buzzer.
(C) FIBA.basketball
Australia’s victory not only extended their unbeaten run in the tournament to 18 games, but also secured a historic “three-peat.” That makes them just the second team in Asia Cup history to win three consecutive titles, following China’s own treble in 2003 in Harbin.
For China, Hu Mingxuan led the charge with 26 points, supported by Hu Jinqiu’s 20 points and 10 rebounds, and contributions from Cheng Shuaipeng (12) and Zhao Rui (10).
Despite their strong performance, the team had to settle for silver, marking their first Asia Cup medal in a decade since claiming gold in 2015 in Changsha against the Philippines.
(C) FIBA.basketball
Earlier, Iran captured the bronze by defeating New Zealand, 79-73, in the bronze match, earning the program’s first Asia Cup medal since taking silver in 2017 in Beirut, Lebanon.
