Australia edged China 90-89 in a thrilling FIBA Asia Cup Final. The Boomers trailed early but stormed back, sealing the victory in the dying stages.
China led at halftime, fueled by Mingxuan Hu's hot shooting. But Australia's second-half defensive adjustments and rebounding shifted the momentum back in their favour.
The last few minutes were chaotic, with a last second miss by Hu meaning the Aussies survived the scare and lifted the trophy by just one point.
Xavier Cooks dominated inside with 30 points and nine rebounds, shooting at a 76 per cent clip. His relentless scoring kept the Boomers alive at several stages throughout the contest.
Jaylin Galloway added 23 points, including two clutch threes in the fourth quarter. His form beyond the arc kept Australia within striking distance of China.
Will Hickey was again impressive, posting 15 points, seven boards, and five assists after his dominant showing in the semi-final.
With that win, the Boomers successfully completed the three-peat, cementing their dominance in Asia.
Australia vs. China final score
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | FINAL |
| AUS | 17 | 25 | 26 | 22 | 90 |
| CHN | 25 | 21 | 25 | 18 | 89 |
Australia vs. China: Boomers box score
| PLAYER | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG | 3P | FT |
| Harry Wessels | 5:17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Reyne Smith | DNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Dash Daniels | 0:44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Will Hickey | 22:52 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 6-10 | 0-1 | 3-5 |
| Owen Foxwell* | 16:24 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2-6 | 1-2 | 0-0 |
| Jaylin Galloway* | 36:06 | 23 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7-12 | 6-10 | 3-4 |
| Xavier Cooks* | 31:12 | 30 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13-17 | 0-0 | 4-11 |
| Josh Bannan | DNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Jack White | 21:44 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-2 |
| Jack McVeigh* | 28:12 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5-12 | 1-6 | 0-0 |
| Ben Henshall | 11:14 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0-6 | 0-5 | 0-0 |
| Will Magnay* | 26:15 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 2-4 |
| TOTAL | 200 | 90 | 39 | 23 | 5 | 6 | 35-71 | 8-24 | 12-26 |
*Starting lineup
Australian Boomers FIBA Men's Asia Cup full schedule: Dates, times for games
The FIBA Men's Asia Cup will begin on Tuesday, August 5, and conclude with the championship game on Sunday, August 17.
The Boomers were drawn in Group A alongside South Korea, Lebanon, and Qatar, finishing the group stage with a perfect 3-0 record.
*All times AEST.
| Game | Date | Time/Result | Location |
| Australia vs. South Korea | Wednesday 6 August | AUS 97 def. KOR 61 | King Abdullah Sports City, Saudi Arabia |
| Australia vs. Lebanon | Saturday, August 9 | AUS 93 def. LEB 80 | King Abdullah Sports City, Saudi Arabia |
| Australia vs. Qatar | Sunday, August 10 | AUS 110 def. QAT 82 | King Abdullah Sports City, Saudi Arabia |
| Australia vs. Philippines | Wednesday, August 13 | AUS 84 def. PHI 60 | King Abdullah Sports City, Saudi Arabia |
| Australia vs. Iran | Saturday, August 16 | AUS 92 def. IRA 48 | King Abdullah Sports City, Saudi Arabia |
| Australia vs. China | Monday, August 18 | AUS 90 def. CHN 89 | King Abdullah Sports City, Saudi Arabia |