FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Qualifiers
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MANILA (Philippines) – Australia continued their relentless march through the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers with a commanding 123-64 victory over Syria, but this was more than another routine win for the Boomers. In a night overflowing with offensive milestones, Elijah Pepper stole the spotlight by delivering the highest-scoring performance ever by an Australian player in the World Cup Qualifiers.
Pepper makes Boomers history
Pepper was simply unstoppable, pouring in 32 points to eclipse the previous high by an Australian player in the Qualifiers of 31 points, set by Todd Blanchfield against Kazakhstan in a 98-53 victory on February 26, 2023.
The performance is particularly notable given how quickly Pepper has established himself as an offensive weapon in the Boomers setup. He had already tied for the third-highest Australian scoring performance in Qualifiers history earlier this campaign, when he scored 28 points against the Philippines on March 1, 2026.
Now, he owns the outright record.
Pepper’s scoring barrage was fueled by an extraordinary shooting display from deep, as he knocked down eight three-pointers. That total is tied for the second-most made threes in a single game in the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers, underlining just how devastating he was from the perimeter.
Most three-pointers made in a World Cup Qualifiers Game
Rank
Date
Team
Against
Player
3PM
1
11/28/2025
Korea
China
Hyunjung Lee
9
2
8/28/2026
Australia
Syria
Elijah Pepper
8
=
2/27/2026
Portugal
Romania
Diogo Brito
8
=
2/26/2026
Australia
Guam
Tanner Krebs
8
=
11/30/2025
Jordan
Syria
Jalen Cole Harris
8
=
8/29/2022
USA
Colombia
John Jenkins
8
=
7/4/2022
Canada
Virgin Islands
Kassius Robertson
8
=
7/3/2022
Poland
Germany
A.J. Slaughter
8
=
9/14/2018
Italy
Poland
Amedeo Della Valle
8
=
7/1/2018
Hong Kong
Korea
Ki Lee
8
=
7/1/2018
Lebanon
Syria
Amir Saoud
8
=
2/22/2018
Japan
Chinese Taipei
Naoto Tsuji
8
Boomers run riot on offense
Boomers celebrate another big win.
Pepper’s individual explosion was part of an even bigger offensive showcase from Australia. The Boomers’ 123 points rank as the fourth-highest single-game scoring total in FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers history. Only New Zealand’s 133 and 129-point efforts, along with Australia’s own 124-point performance against Guam earlier in these Qualifiers, stand above it.
Most points scored in a World Cup Qualifiers game
Rank
Date
Team
Against
PTS
1
11/26/2017
New Zealand
Hong Kong
133
2
7/6/2026
New Zealand
Guam
129
3
7/3/2026
Australia
Guam
124
=
6/28/2018
New Zealand
Hong Kong
124
5
8/28/2026
Australia
Syria
123
Australia’s offensive efficiency was complemented by relentless pressure at the other end. The Boomers forced Syria into 27 turnovers, tying the single-game high for turnovers forced in the Asian Qualifiers.
That combination of creating extra possessions and converting them into points helped Australia turn what could have been a straightforward victory into an emphatic rout.
And perhaps most ominously for the rest of the Asian Qualifiers, there appears to be no sign of the Boomers slowing down.
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