Australia’s next wave of Boomers will be provided further opportunity to develop on the international stage with upcoming fixtures in Japan on 22 –23 June.
Game and score updates available via Basketball Australia X & Social Media. Recaps will be added below after the games are complete.
GAME ONE | 22 JUNE
An Australia Select team have ripped a 90 - 89 win in Game One of the Nippon Life Cup from Japan’s hands in Sapporo – led from the front with a Sam Froling double double.
A crucial bucket from veteran Mitch Norton put Australia up by three in the last moments and the game was put in Reyne Smith’s hands at the free throw line after a foul left Elijah Pepper with a cut to the head.
Smith hit the free throw in the clutch – and it’s crucial that he did, with Japan landing a long range three pointer at the death.
Perth Wildcat’s marquee signing Elijah Pepper demonstrated why his signature was sought after – turning it up in the second half to finish with 12 points. Fellow Wildcat Ben Henshall overcame a cold return from long range by shifting approach on Japan in the second half. Henshall finished with nine points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Starting guard Mitch McCarron dished six assists and young gun Alex Toohey (7 PTS, 5 REB) had impact as a versatile forward.
The youngest NBL Next Star Rocco Zikarsky played limited minutes – finishing with five points, two rebounds & 2 assists.
Game Two of the series tips off tomorrow in Sapporo at 4:00pm AEST
AUS Select v Japan | Nippon Life Cup - Game One | Sapporo, Hokkaido - Japan
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |
| AUS | 15 | 38 | 58 | 90 |
| JPN | 27 | 47 | 61 | 89 |
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | BLK | STL |
| Ben Henshall* | 20:12 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Mitch McCarron* | 24:28 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam Froling* | 30:09 | 26 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Kyle Bowen* | 19:21 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Alex Toohey* | 23:11 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Reyne Smith | 15:20 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mitch Norton | 15:24 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Rocco Zikarsky | 9:51 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyler Robertson | 5:38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keli Leaupepe | 9:31 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elijah Pepper | 14:25 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Alex Condon | 12:30 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
* Starters
GAME TWO | 23 JUNE
Game Two of the Nippon Life Cup 2024 of Australia vs Japan had an equally intense finish as the opener.
Alex Toohey (22 PTS, 4 STL) was instrumental in Australia gaining a buffer on the home stretch, but Japan wouldn’t stay down – hitting a series of shots to tie the scores at 95 - 95.
A wild sequence of events occurred in the final moments.
It started with an in and out shot from the Aussies to go ahead – the returning drive from Japan ended with a clutch steal from guard Mitch McCarron - and in the dying seconds, Australia worked the ball to Sam Froling at the rim and the big man was fouled with 0.4 to play.
Froling had two opportunities from the line – and agonisingly, both rolled in and out leaving the game at a tie under exhibition rules.
Despite the result, the Australia Select team looked more in their comfort zone throughout Game Two.
Sydney Kings youngster Alex Toohey is star in the making and proved it on the international stage (22 PTS, 4 REB, 4 STL)
Alex Condon made the most of his start (13 PTS, 3 REB), Elijah Pepper continued his bright start in green and gold with 14 points, five rebounds and seven assists.
Veteran Mitch Norton (10 PTS, 3 REB) didn’t hit the highs of Game One but added a cool and calm demeanour alongside Mitch McCarron (4 PTS, 5 AST).
Nippon Life Cup 2024 - Game Two
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |
| AUS | 23 | 49 | 72 | 95 * |
| JPN | 29 | 49 | 69 | 95 * |
* Game tied - no OT due to exhibition game rules
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | BLK | STL | |
| 2 | Reyne Smith * | 14:30 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Ben Henshall | 16:09 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Mitch Norton * | 19:46 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Mitch McCarron | 20:49 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Rocco Zikarsky | 10:26 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Sam Froling | 25:06 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Kyle Bowen | 9:48 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | Tyler Robertson | 8:25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Alex Condon * | 19:52 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Alex Toohey | 22:44 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 34 | Keli Leaupepe * | 14:13 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Elijah Pepper * | 18:12 | 13 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
* Starters
