The USA Basketball Showcase action continued on Tuesday, featuring Serbia, ranked No. 4 in the world, and the Australian Boomers, ranked No. 5. The intense showdown inside Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena brought fans to their feet last night as Australia emerged victorious.
Demonstrating his MVP-calibre skills in his first of two USAB games in Abu Dhabi, Serbian big man Nikola Jokic showcased his prowess by scoring 14 points, and 14 rebounds. The Serbs are looking forward to facing Team USA the following day.
Driving the Australia team was none other than veteran Patty Mills, leading his team with 28 points and dishing five assists to cap off their USA Basketball Showcase participation.
The riveting game drew thousands of fans who packed the Arena to catch what is considered an ideal preparation camp before the teams head to France for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Serbia, finalists in last year’s FIBA World Cup, and Australia, champions of FIBA Asia 2022 and bronze medalists in Tokyo 2020, both have their sights set on Olympic glory.
Commenting on the experience in the UAE capital and the win today, Boomers coach Brian Goorjian said: “The whole setup, every aspect of it, has been really enjoyable—from the warm hospitality, to the food, to the support staff, and the people around taking care of us. The environment last night against Team USA was incredible, not a seat available, and it felt like a gold medal game. And tonight, against Serbia, having our fans behind us was fantastic. It felt very much like what we’ll experience when we get to the Olympic Village. That’s what this was all about: getting quality games. We played two great teams. My team grew during this period, both on and off the floor, and we’re really happy with this being our passage to the Olympic Village. We got what we wanted—a big win.”
The Boomers’ top scorer, Patty Mills, said after the win: “Our experience in Abu Dhabi was quality—really quality games. You can’t ask for much more than playing the US and Serbia, such heavyweights in international basketball. It’s great preparation for us. Finding ways to win international games in key moments is crucial. Tonight was a great example. We felt it a bit at the end of last night’s game against the US.”
Aleksej Pokuševski, who plays forward for Team Serbia, said after Serbia’s first game in Abu Dhabi: “We just need to keep practicing in these preparation games. We liked the experience in Abu Dhabi; it’s great for us. We will play Team USA tomorrow and will do our best to get the win.”
Speaking on playing with the NBA MVP, Pokuševski added: “Playing with Nikola Jokic, one of the best players in the world, is great. It’s fantastic to have him on our side.
For the second consecutive summer, USA Basketball hosts the USA Basketball Showcase in Abu Dhabi, featuring games against Australia, the 2022 FIBA Asia champions and Tokyo 2020 bronze medalists, and Serbia, finalists in last year’s FIBA World Cup.
This event showcases top-tier basketball talent while also highlighting Abu Dhabi’s growing prominence as a hub for world-class sporting events. The city boasts state-of-the-art sporting facilities, providing an ideal setting for tonight’s game at 8pm (GST) where USA will face Serbia at the Etihad Arena. The best players in the world will square off in the final game of the USA Basketball Showcase 2024 in Abu Dhabi.
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