A stunning string of four three-pointers from Australian guard Peter Crawford steered the Boomers to a 66-55 win over China in Perth on Saturday night in game one of their three-match basketball series.
As both sides continue preparations for the upcoming London Olympics, Townsville guard Crawford top-scored with 21 points to give national selectors something to think about as they prepare to cut the squad further in the next two weeks.
China got off to a solid start at Challenge Stadium when they hit the first two baskets and held a narrow advantage until Crawford nailed the first of his five three-pointers.
A three-point bomb on the quarter-time buzzer from China's Guo Ailun (15 points) reduced the Boomers' lead to two points after they led by seven just 90 seconds before the first break.
Defensively the Boomers were inspired, but at the other end the shooting was timid as they converted just four of their 15 attempts.
Chinese big man Han Dejun was given his first minutes in the second term and made them count, starting China's run of four unanswered baskets that helped the visitors to a seven-point lead at half-time.
Shooting at just 21 per cent in the first half, the Boomers picked up the pace in the third term and a tip-in from Mark Worthington (11 points) in the dying seconds cut China's lead to just one point at the final change.
But it was Crawford's sizzling performance from outside the arc in the fourth quarter that sealed the game and ultimately a comfortable 11-point margin.
Game two of the series is in Albany, south of Perth, on Monday and returns to Perth on Wednesday.
AAP
Tags: sport, basketball, perth-6000, wa, australia First posted June 09, 2012 19:52:32
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