Basketball: Boomers at the 2023 FIBA World Cup

Australia are set to get their FIBA World Cup campaign underway and hopes are high that the Boomers can finally end their medal drought at the tournament.

The Boomers showed what they are capable of with a landmark bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 and now they are out to build on that medal at the World Cup.

Australia have yet to finish in the top three at a World Cup and once again the competition will be fierce in the 2023 edition.

However they are priced at 10.00 to win the World Cup, behind the USA, who are the hot fancies, and France, so this could be the year to make the top three.

Let’s take a look at what is on the horizon for the Boomers as they attempt to return home with a medal.

The group stage

The Boomers will be looking to go deep in the tournament and they have three phases to negotiate.

They are the group stage, the second round and the final phase.

First job is to get through the group stage and it would be a major shock if they were knocked out of the FIBA World Cup at this stage.

The Boomers are in Group E along with Germany, Finland and Japan. They will all play each other on one occasion and the top two will then go through to the second round.

Australia are the team to beat in the group and they are priced at 1.50 to go on and win it. Germany are 3.25, Finland 17.00 and Japan 26.00.

Group E schedule

Australia get their FIBA World Cup campaign underway against Finland on Friday 25th August and will be expected to begin with a win.

The Boomers are priced at 1.20 to win the game, with Finland available at 4.75.

The biggest test they will face in the group stage will be the clash with Germany on Sunday 27th August, before the final group clash against Japan on Tuesday 29th August.

The second round

If as expected the Boomers and Germany win through to the second round they will be in Group K along with the two teams that qualified from group F.

Slovenia are priced at 1.04 to Group F, while Georgia are priced at 13.00, Venezuela 26.00 and Cape Verde 51.00.

Again each team will play each other once, with the top two from Group K going through to the finals phase.

The final phase

As long as everything goes smoothly, the Boomers should make it through to the final phase without any issues.

However this is where the FIBA World Cup gets tricky as we hit the quarter-finals and there is the potential to face France at this stage.

If they can top the groups in the first two phases of the competition then it is more than likely to be a quarter-final showdown with Spain.

Again as long as everything goes to plan, then the Boomers will not have to play the USA until the final.

Potential rivals

It goes without saying that the USA and France are the main dangers for the Boomers at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

However, as long as the Boomers are at their best, they will be in with a good chance of making the semi-finals at least.

In the betting without the USA, Australia are priced at 6.25 to win the FIBA World Cup, but it is France who are then the team to beat at 5.50.