McVeigh, Galloway shine for Boomers

The Australian Boomers warmed up nicely for the FIBA Asia Cup next week with Jack McVeigh and Jaylin Galloway showing the way in the come from behind 93-87 win over the University of Colorado Buffaloes.

The Boomers assembled on the Gold Coast this week in preparation for the FIBA Asia Cup that starts next week in Saudi Arabia in what will mark the first tournament in charge for newly appointed head coach Adam Caporn.

It was a good challenge too from the touring NCAA Division 1 Big 12 Conference competing Buffaloes who had already had a couple of games under their belts on this trip to Australia with former NBL point guard Nate Tomlinson on their coaching staff.

It was an imposing Boomers line-up, though, with Jack McVeigh coming off an NBA season, and Davo Hickey, Will Magnay, Reyne Smith and Jack White fresh off playing at the recent NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

The Buffaloes came out on a mission to knock off Australia's national team turning a four-point deficit at quarter-time into a 44-43 half-time lead having been up by as much as eight points.

The Boomers were back within one by the half thanks to a Jaylin Galloway buzzer-beater and then they were able to work on top in the third period with 27 points to 18.

Even still, Colorado were back within a point with six minutes to play when Jalin Holland knocked down a three-pointer. Australia again did enough down the stretch to warm up for the Asia Cup with the six-point win.

With his immediate future now a hot talking point, Jack McVeigh let his basketball do the talking with 20 points and seven assists with 5/12 three-point shooting.

Jaylin Galloway has worked his way back from his season-ending shoulder injury in NBL25 in the NBL1 East at the Bankstown Bruins. He put up 16 points and five rebounds with 5/8 field goal shooting.

Newly signed Cairns Taipans sharpshooter Reyne Smith hit three triples for 11 points and four rebounds with Owen Foxwell adding eight points and two boards, Jack White nine points and four rebounds, Xavier Cooks seven points, four assists and three boards, and Will Magnay seven points and six assists.

Sean Macdonald is gearing up for a big season with the Tasmania JackJumpers after NBL25 was ravaged by injury. He looked good running the point for Australia too with six points, five rebounds and four assists but will hope that he can shake off what appeared to be a leg injury suffered late.

Isaiah Johnson finished with 19 points for the Buffaloes with Sebastian Rancik adding 16 points and five rebounds, Barrington Hargress 11 points and five assists, Jalin Holland 10 points, four boards and three assists, and Elijah Malone 10 points and seven rebounds.

The Boomers will now head straight to Saudi Arabia from the Gold Coast for the Asia Cup that will see them play their first game next Wednesday against South Korea before then taking on Lebanon on Friday and Qatar on Sunday to complete the group stage.

PRE-ASIA CUP BOOMERS FRIENDLY

AUSTRALIAN BOOMERS 93 (McVeigh 20, Galloway 16, Smith 11)

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BUFFALOES 87 (Johnson 19, Rancik 16, Hargress 11)

BOX SCORE

‍