Aussies Out Of World Basketball Championships; Turkey Topples France

Istanbul, Turkey (AHN) – Jaka Lakovic scored 19 points, including five 3-pointers, as Slovenia crushed Australia in the round of 16 with an 87-58 demolition Sunday to reach the reach the quarterfinals of the 2010 FIBA World Championships.

Lakovic sparked an offensive burst in the opening period with a three-point bomb, as Slovenia roared out from the starting gate with a 9-0 surge.

The Australia squad struggled offensively in the opening six and a half minutes of the contest, managing to score eight points in the first quarter.

After raising to a 16-8 edge at the end of period, Slovenia started to pull away in the second quarter by drilling 6-for-10 from the 3-point area in the period.

Slovenia, ranked 15th among the 24 teams after converting just 33 percent from the 3-point arc in pool play, drained 16-of-33 from downtown for a whopping 48.5 percent.

Slovenia erected a 42-21 lead at halftime without former New Jersey Nets forward Bostjan Nachbar netting a single point.

Nachbar, a 2002 draft pick by the Houston Rockets, finished with eight points with two three-pointers and four boards for the victors.

Primoz Brezec of the Milwaukee Bucks ended with 12 points, while Goran Dragic added 10 points and eight assists for Slovenia, which will next play Turkey, a 95-77 conqueror of France.

Portland Trail Blazers’ Patrick Mills tried to rally the Boomers with his usual burst of speed and slashing moves into the hoop, but managed to finish only 13 points in the loss.

Joseph Ingles, one of Aussies’ scoring threat, also finished with 13 markers, while Matthew Nielson logged 12 points and eight rebounds for Australia, which shot 18 of 58 from the field and 10 percent from the 3-point arc (2-of-19).

With the triumph, Slovenia improved to 5-1 at the World Championship. It’s only setback came at the hands of Team USA.

Hedo Turkoglu scored 20 points and Sinan Guler added 17 for Turkey, which rolled before a near-capacity crowd.

Boris Diaw of the Charlotte Bobcats poured in 21 points for France, with Nando de Colo chipping in 15.

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