Griscti shines in big Boomers victory

Adelaide 36ers big man Ben Griscti made an instant impact in his international debut for the Boomers in Australia’s 109-58 win over Indonesia in Gippsland on Thursday night.

A blend of youth and experience led by Griscti, Mitch McCarron, David Okwera and Emmett Adair, and the shooting mentality of Elijah Pepper all shone in the Boomers; 51-point success.

It's the final window for the Asia Cup Qualifiers ahead of the tournament in Saudi Arabia later this year which the Boomers have already qualified for ahead of Sunday’s final match against Thailand.

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Griscti scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds, including a huge highlight alley-oop late in the game which got the Gippsland crowd to their feet.

The Boomers kept their perfect qualifying record alive on the back of going on a 15-0 run in the first quarter while holding Indonesia to just four points those entire first 10 minutes.

All 12 Boomers players scored in the game and from the 42 field goals and 11 free throws made, the team had 33 assists highlighting just how well the ball moved and the unselfishness of everyone involved.

The Boomers also finished with 51 rebounds to 31 including 21 at the offensive end to five for 26 second chance points to two along with 21 points off Indonesia's 17 turnovers while Australia only turned it over twice themselves.

Pepper got up nine more shots from his nearest teammate and ended up with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Boomers with his Wildcats teammate Okwera adding 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

McCarron had nine points with eight assists and Adelaide 36ers swingman Nick Marshall had some great moments for four points, four rebounds and three assists.

Lester Prosper did a power of work against the tide for Indonesia playing over 35 minutes and finishing with 18 points, 14 rebounds and six assists despite only shooting 5/17 from the field.

The Boomers blew the game open in the opening quarter, catching fire and scoring 15 straight points including three balls to emerging big men Griscti and Okwera, and to guards Mitch Norton and Pepper.

Pepper knocked down another couple of three balls and Griscti hit another from long-range too and the Boomers were well in control with a 50-22 lead by half-time on the back of hitting 19 field goals with 18 assists.

It was another fast start to the second half for the Boomers with a 10-2 run capped off by a triple to Brisbane Bullets guard Isaac White.

Young big man Adair then had a purple patch with six quick points before Okwera made another long ball, Marshall completed a three-point play and Australia's advantage was out to 77-39 by three quarter-time.

Adair had another flurry of scoring seven quick points and then Fennell closed out the game with another from beyond the three-point arc on the way to the eventual 51-point victory.

The Boomers remain in Gippsland to take on Thailand on Sunday afternoon in the last game of the FIBA Asia Qualifiers ahead of the tournament in Saudi Arabia later this year.

2025 FIBA ASIA CUP QUALIFIERS
AUSTRALIAN BOOMERS 109 (Pepper 18, Okwera 15, Adair 15, Griscti 12) def INDONESIA 58 (Prosper 18, Saputera 14, Grahita 9)
BOX SCORE