Ingles, Australia Keep Team USA Winless In Vegas
Jul 12, 2021, 8:26 PM | Updated: Jul 13, 2021, 2:26 pm
Utah Jazz guard Joe INgles with Team Australia (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah Jazz guard Joe Ingles and the Boomers of Australia handed Team USA their second consecutive loss 91-83 during the lead-up to the Olympics in Tokyo later this month.
Australia erased a nine point deficit at the half to beat the talented United States roster sending a reminder to the world that there is no clear favorite to take home the gold medal among the 12-team field.
Ingles scored 17 points while adding four rebounds, and three assists to help lead Australia to victory. San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills added 22 points, including 10 points in the final period to lead the Boomers to the win.
The Boomers of Australia took down @usabasketball powered by Patty Mills 22 points and @utahjazz guard Joe Ingles 17 points.
Team USA has now lost two consecutive scrimmages in Las Vegas, while Australia improved to 2-0. #takenote pic.twitter.com/X2M79C2NE5
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) July 13, 2021
Team USA was led by former Weber State guard Damian Lillard who matched Mills 22 points while Kevin Durant matched Ingles 17.
Australia was considered among the favorites to earn a medal at the upcoming Olympic games and has proved to be a worthy opponent after winning both of their first two friendlies in Las Vegas.
Team USA will face Argentina on Tuesday, before getting a rematch against Australia on Friday, and finishing their pre-Olympic scrimmages against powerhouse Spain on July 18.
Australia meanwhile has friendly matchups with upstart Nigeria on Wednesday before their rematch with Team USA on Friday.
Australia’s Joe Ingles after dealing USA Basketball its second straight exhibition loss: “We came in here expecting to win the game and that’s what we did.”
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 13, 2021
Australia belongs to Group B at the Olympics Group B alongside Nigeria, Italy, and Germany, while the USA is paired with France, Iran, and the Czech Republic in Group A. The Olympic tournament is made up of 12 teams, separated into three groups. The top two teams from each group will advance out of the group play at the Olympics, along with the two best third-place teams.
Those teams will then compete for the opportunity to face off in the gold and bronze medal games. Australia has never medaled at the Olympics while Team USA has won the gold at six of the last seven Olympic Tournaments.
