Tristan Knowles lifts the trophy after Australia won the wheelchair basketball world championship. Photo: AP PHOTO
The Australian Rollers have been crowned men’s wheelchair basketball world champions for the first time in 12 years after a commanding 81-57 win over Italy in the final.
Young gun Jaylen Brown (28 points) and captain Tom O’Neill-Thorne (20) were the stars for the Rollers, who completed an unbeaten campaign in Ottawa, Canada.
O’Neill-Thorne added 16 assists and seven rebounds, while Bill Latham had 12 points and seven rebounds.
Italy’s Gabriel Benvenuto under pressure from Australia’s Tom O’Neill-Thorne and Jaylen Brown. (AP PHOTO)
The Rollers’ latest triumph adds to previous world titles in 2010 and 2014.
Italy also entered the gold-medal game unbeaten but were no match for the Rollers’ intensity.
Federico Carossino led the Italians with 16 points and Giovanni Papi added 13.
Italy struggled to find any rhythm from beyond the arc, missing all five of their three-point attempts, in stark contrast to Australia’s more balanced offensive attack.
The Rollers shot the ball at an outstanding 55 per cent from the field, including 61.5 per cent in two-point range.
Brown, 21, shot at an incredible 72 per cent from the field and ended the tournament averaging almost 30 points per game.
Australia out-rebounded Italy 35-25 and forced 13 turnovers while committing just nine of their own.
The Rollers’ dominant performance followed a hard-fought semi-final win over Germany in overtime.
Australian Associated Press
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