Pepper too hot for Syria as Boomers debutants shine

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Sharpshooter Elijah Pepper has given Perth Wildcats fans plenty to be hopeful about after starring in the Australian Boomers' 123-64 win over Syria at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

Pepper connected on eight three-pointers from 12 attempts for 32 points as the Boomers dominated their opponents by 59 points under fill-in coach and new Melbourne United mentor Jacob Chance.

He also showed Wildcats fans how damaging he and new recruit, former University of Arizona guard Anthony Dell'Orso, could form at RAC Arena for John Rillie and his team as they combined for 43 points as five Boomers reached double figures.

Returning United forward Luke Travers made an immediate impact in his return to the green and gold colours with two highlights dunks in a game, where he recorded 14 points on top of four rebounds and three assists.

Max Mackinnon, who followed in his dad's footsteps by representing the Boomers, had 10 points on debut while Josh Bannan also had 10 points and eight rebounds.

Australia next take on Jordan on Sunday at 7pm AEST.

MATCH REPORT

Perth Wildcats sharpshooter Elijah Pepper has posted the highest score by an Australian in World Cup Qualifiers history, 32 points, as the Boomers beat Syria 123-64 in Manila on Friday, August 28, 2026.

Pepper's 32 eclipsed the 31 Todd Blanchfield scored against Kazakhstan on February 26, 2023, a mark that had stood for three and a half years.

He got there on 12-from-17 shooting in a shade over 20 minutes on court, including 8-from-12 from beyond the arc, and those eight triples are tied for the second-most made in any World Cup Qualifiers game, one behind the nine Hyunjung Lee hit for Korea against China in November 2025.

There is a neat symmetry in the two Australian marks Pepper touched on Friday, because both of them were set on February 26. Blanchfield scored his 31 on that date in 2023. The last Australian to make eight threes in a Qualifier, Tanner Krebs against Guam, did it on the same date this year, six months and two days before Pepper matched him.

The Boomers as a team were almost as emphatic as their guard. Australia's 123 points is the fifth-highest single-game total in World Cup Qualifiers history, behind two New Zealand hauls and two scores of 124, one of which was Australia's own against Guam on July 3, 2026.

They forced Syria into 27 turnovers, which equals the single-game high for the Asian Qualifiers, and the extra possessions became a 16-0 second-quarter run that removed any doubt inside four minutes.

Australia won every quarter, led 27-16 after the first and 63-27 at the break, and Syria did not lead for a single second of the 40 minutes. There were no lead changes at all, and the Boomers were in front for 39 minutes and 48 seconds.

Fill-in coach Jacob Chance, who took the Melbourne United job when Dean Vickerman left for Nagasaki Velca, had five players in double figures on debut night.

Luke Travers backed Pepper with 14 points, four rebounds and three assists, and Josh Bannan worked the frontcourt for 11 points, eight rebounds and 7-from-8 from the charity stripe.

Both debutants delivered. Anthony Dell'Orso, the former University of Arizona guard who joins Pepper at Perth for NBL27, finished with 11 points, while Max Mackinnon followed his father into the green and gold and had 10 points on 4-from-8 shooting in 13 minutes.

Dash Daniels added nine points, seven rebounds and four assists, and Jacob Holt had nine points and eight rebounds. Sam Froling was perfect from the field, 4-from-4, for eight points, seven rebounds and four assists. Nick Kay finished with eight points and six rebounds, and Angus Glover with eight points and five rebounds.

James Justice Jr carried Syria almost alone, playing all 40 minutes for 21 points and four assists, though he needed 21 shots to get there. The other 11 Syrians managed 43 points between them. Syria shot 39.3 per cent from the field against a Boomers defence that never let the game breathe.