Australia’s Boomers have completed a near-perfect Olympics preparation by beating host nation France on Monday morning.
The Aussies won the warm-up game 83-82 in front of what was a packed and parochial French crowd.
It follows warm-up wins over Serbia and Puerto Rico, and a close loss to the mighty USA.
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Dyson Daniels was the hero for the Boomers, scoring a reverse layup with just two seconds left on the clock to hit the game-winning shot.
The 21-year-old played limited minutes during his 2023 World Cup campaign, however, it is clear coach Brian Goorjian has more trust in the Bendigo-born star now.
Daniels left the court with 14 points, five assists and just as many steals.
Dyson Daniels handles the ball. Getty
“These games leading into the Olympics are really important for us to try and gel as a team, and bring the chemistry together,” Daniels said after the win.
“We come out and compete like it’s the gold medal game.
“We already had the belief. We know that we can do it but I think it’s just about building that chemistry and staying together. These wins are keeping our team going.
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“That was big for us. Now we have a couple of days to reset before our first real match.”
Daniels put to bed suggestions that the Boomers are not a united force, with the team hindered by injury or the NBA rotation ahead of the Games.
“It’s a rumour for a reason. We are strong and we are together, everyone likes each other on the team… Our team is together as it should be,” he said.
“We’re not worried about those rumours.”
Instilling fear in defence, Daniels was able to bring a free flowing style to the Boomers squad, with his seamless transitions opening various opportunities for his teammates including veteran guard Patty Mills.
Mills brushed off his concerning shooting slump to pile on 24 points, while Josh Giddey continued his dominant form with 20 points, six rebounds, seven turnovers and eight assists.
Patty Mills shoots a free throw. NBAE via Getty Images
The Miami Heat star has silenced calls to be benched with his latest displays in the green and gold, but says he is determined to see the Boomers reach new heights in Paris.
“The toughest thing for us is that we don’t get to play a lot of games in the green and gold so when we do, we want to make the most of it,” said Mills.
“We are getting better every day. These practice games are preparing us for what I think will be a very tough pool at the Olympics.
“We know we have a lot of work to do, but tonight was a step in the right direction.
“We did something special in Tokyo but we acknowledge that we don’t want to be that team anymore, we want to be better. We want to enjoy the journey as well… but I believe we are better.”
Dante Exum posed further injury concerns as he failed to return to play after suffering a suspected dislocated finger. The incident occurred earlier in the second quarter.
“He’s been so important to our group… This is a really tight-knit group and we’ve got to stick together so hopefully he is alright,” Mills said of Exum post-match.
Jock Landale only featured for nine minutes against the host nation, however, is suspected to have be rested as a precaution.
The Boomers open their Olympic campaign on Saturday against Spain.