'Shellshocked' Boomers escape with gold medal

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The Australian Boomers have survived — escaped — an extraordinary 2025 Asia Cup Final 90-89 in Saudi Arabia to win the gold medal.

"We didn't shoot the ball probably the way we wanted to, but in games like this you gotta find a way to win, and we did exactly that," Australian Boomers captain Will Magnay said.

Xavier Cooks, ho scored 30 points, was awarded the Player of the Game, was fouled with 3.9 seconds to go but in the process was called for an unsportsmanlike foul with Australia up 89-87.

Cooks missed the first made the second of his free throws to put Australia up with 90-87. China then made both of its free throws to make it 90-89 with possession.

Chinese star Mingxuan Hu missed a wide open three at the buzzer after a side-line out of bounds play. He ball hit the front of the rim as time expired.

Australia trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half.

"We knew it wasn't gonna be an easy game coming in," Magnay added.

"We knew they're talented, could make shots, and they did exactly that. It was a great fight and, like coach said, just figured out a way to win and scrap our way back. Zave was huge down the stretch just making plays for us.

"I thought (Jaylin) Galloway was awesome defensively, just on the ball dogging it, and Whitey (Jack White) came up huge with some big plays.

"So everyone kind of just checked in and stepped up."

Boomers head coach Adam Caporn was still processing the one-point win as he sat at the press conference podium about 30 minutes after the game.

"It's hard to know where to start," he admitted.

"But the main thing is I'm just so proud of the character of our guys. Very well led by Will here, our captain.

"We were down 15, very tight close game, and I felt the poise of our players, felt their toughness, felt their problem-solving attitudes.

"And we had that from the start of camp. It's credit to the players, that's not something we taught them. They have that. Got great people in the program and, in my opinion, that's why we won."

Caporn said China exploded out of the blocks and put Australia in a hole early.

"They obviously had a good start and I thought we were a little off, a little shellshocked," Caporn said,

"Just defensively, stepped off our coverages, and credit to them, they put us on our heels. But I wasn't surprised, they're a really good team. Best offensive team in the tournament.

"Coming into the game we were aware of that. We were aware how good they are playing pick and roll, and they gave us some problems. Not surprised, a lot of respect for the team.

"I thought we did a good job with just a few little adjustments, throwing some things at them, and once we got our momentum it was neck and neck till the end.

"But I'm not surprised. That's a good team and we appreciate the great game we got to be a part of."

2025 Asia Cup MVP

• Jaylin Galloway - Boomers

2025 Asia Cup All-Star Five

• Jaylin Galloway (Boomers)
• Sina Vahedi - Iran
• Junjie Wang - China
• Jack McVeigh - Boomers
• Jinqiu Hu - China

Key Details

• Result: Australia 90 def. China 89
• When: August 18, 2025 (AEST)
• Where: King Abdullah Sports City, Saudi Arabia (KSA)

By the Numbers

• Xavier Cooks (Australia) starred with 30 points, nine rebounds, and two assists in 31 minutes.
• Mingxuan Hu (China) scored 26 points, had three rebounds, and three assists in 21 minutes.

What Happened

Australia survived a tense battle to complete a three-peat at the FIBA Asia Cup, edging China 90-89 in a dramatic final in Jeddah. It was a game of wild momentum swings, with the Boomers forced to claw their way back from a double-digit deficit before holding their nerve in the closing seconds.

China came out firing, controlling the first quarter with crisp execution and accurate outside shooting to build a 25-17 advantage. That lead ballooned to 15 midway through the second term before Xavier Cooks began to take over, bullying his way into the paint and igniting the Australian comeback. By halftime, the deficit was down to just four, setting up a gripping contest.

The third quarter turned into a shootout, with Jaylin Galloway lighting it up from beyond the arc. The 19-year-old drilled back-to-back threes and threw down a fastbreak dunk to drag the Boomers within a possession. Still, China refused to buckle, answering with big baskets of their own and keeping the scoreboard tight heading into the last period.

In the decisive fourth, Australia’s depth and composure came to the fore. Cooks was relentless, finishing with 30 points on 13-of-17 shooting, while Galloway added 23, including six triples. William Hickey delivered the kind of hustle plays that swing finals, crashing the boards, threading passes, and producing a crucial putback in the final minute to give the Boomers the edge.

China’s stars kept them in it until the buzzer. Hu Mingxuan was lethal from outside with 26 points and five threes, while Hu Jinqiu powered to a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double. It came down to the last possession, but Jinqiu’s open look from deep rimmed out as the siren sounded, leaving Australia to celebrate another slice of history.

The Boomers now stand 18-0 all-time in Asia Cup play, cementing themselves as the continent’s powerhouse. For China, the narrow defeat stings, but their return to the final and the fight shown against the defending champions suggests a rivalry that could define the next era of Asian basketball.

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Relive the extraordinary last five minutes of the 2025 Asia Cup Final

05:25: William Hickey IN (78 - 78)
05:25: Owen Stephen Foxwell OUT (78 - 78)

05:09: Jinqiu Hu offensive rebound (78 - 78)
05:09: Junjie Wang 2pt driving layup missed (78 - 78)

05:05: Jack McVeigh OUT (78 - 78)

05:04: Xavier Cooks IN (78 - 78)
05:04: Jinqiu Hu +2 floating jump shot made (78 - 80)
05:04: Mingxuan Hu made the assist (78 - 80)

05:01: Jaylin Galloway +3 3pt jump shot made (81 - 80)
05:01: Will Magnay made the assist (81 - 80)

04:44: Mingxuan Hu +2 step back jump shot made (81 - 82)
04:44: Sanning Liao made the assist (81 - 82)

04:27: Jaylin Galloway +3 3pt jump shot made (84 - 82)
04:27: Jack White made the assist (84 - 82)

04:14: Jinqiu Hu layup missed (84 - 82)
04:14: Will Magnay blocked the shot (84 - 82)

03:54: Team offensive rebound (84 - 82)

03:52: Rui Zhao 3pt pullup jump shot missed (84 - 82)

03:48: Xavier Cooks defensive rebound (84 - 82)

03:45: Xavier Cooks driving layup missed (84 - 82)

03:38: Jinqiu Hu defensive rebound (84 - 82)

03:34: Jinqiu Hu +2 floating jump shot made (84 - 84)
03:34: Mingxuan Hu made the assist (84 - 84)

03:22: Jaylin Galloway 3pt jump shot missed (84 - 84)

03:11: Rui Zhao defensive rebound (84 - 84)

03:08: Rui Zhao driving layup missed (84 - 84)

02:52: Jaylin Galloway defensive rebound (84 - 84)

02:49: William Hickey +2 layup made (86 - 84)
02:49: Xavier Cooks made the assist (86 - 84)

02:39: William Hickey foul drawn (86 - 84)
02:39: Sanning Liao personal foul; 1 free throw awarded (86 - 84)
02:39: Meng Lei IN (86 - 84)
02:39: Junjie Wang OUT (86 - 84)
02:39: William Hickey 1st free throw missed (86 - 84)
02:39: William Hickey offensive rebound (86 - 84)
02:39: William Hickey 3pt pullup jump shot missed (86 - 84)
02:39: Mingxuan Hu defensive rebound (86 - 84)

02:25: Mingxuan Hu +3 pullup jump shot made (86 - 87)

02:15: Will Magnay layup missed (86 - 87)
02:15: Jinqiu Hu blocked the shot (86 - 87)

01:53: Meng Lei defensive rebound (86 - 87)
01:49: Jump ball situation; throw-in (86 - 87)
01:49: Jack McVeigh IN (86 - 87)
01:49: Jack White OUT (86 - 87)
01:49: Meng Lei 3pt jump shot missed (86 - 87)
01:49: Xavier Cooks defensive rebound (86 - 87)

01:29: Mingxuan Hu personal foul (86 - 87)

01:26: William Hickey foul drawn (86 - 87)
01:26: Jack McVeigh 3pt jump shot missed (86 - 87)

01:12: William Hickey offensive rebound (86 - 87)

01:05: William Hickey +2 under the basket made (88 - 87)
01:05: William Hickey made the assist (89 - 87)

00:47: Sanning Liao layup missed (88 - 87)
00:47: Will Magnay blocked the shot (88 - 87)
00:47: Jaylin Galloway defensive rebound (88 - 87)

00:43: Meng Lei personal foul; 2 free throws awarded (88 - 87)
00:43: Will Magnay foul drawn (88 - 87)

00:24: Jack McVeigh OUT (88 - 87)
00:24: Jack White IN (88 - 87)
00:24: Will Magnay 1st of 2 free throws missed (88 - 87)
00:24: Will Magnay +1 2nd of 2 free throws made (89 - 87)
00:24: William Hickey made the assist (89 - 87)
00:24: Timeout (89 - 87)
00:24: Meng Lei 3pt jump shot missed (89 - 87)
00:24: Jack White blocked the shot (89 - 87)
00:24: William Hickey defensive rebound (89 - 87)

00:03: Rui Zhao personal foul; 2 free throws awarded (89 - 87)
00:03: Xavier Cooks foul drawn (89 - 87)
00:03: Xavier Cooks unsportsmanlike foul; 2 free throws awarded (89 - 87)
00:03: Xavier Cooks turnover (89 - 87)
00:03: Rui Zhao foul drawn (89 - 87)
00:03: Xavier Cooks 1st of 2 free throws missed (89 - 87)
00:03: Xavier Cooks +1 2nd of 2 free throws made (90 - 87)
00:03: Rui Zhao +1 1st of 2 free throws made (90 - 88)
00:03: Rui Zhao +1 2nd of 2 free throws made (90 - 89)
00:03: Mingxuan Hu 3pt jump shot missed (90 - 89)