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FIBA Asia Cup: Australia edges Lebanon in thriller to win title

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Australia remained kings of FIBA Asia. FIBA Media" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/07/24/20220724-fiba-australia.jpg"/><figcaption>Australia remained kings of FIBA Asia. FIBA Media</figcaption></figure></div>Australia weathered a fourth-quarter scoring rampage by Lebanon to win 75-73 and remain champions of the FIBA Asia Cup on Sunday.The Boomers stormed out of the gates and looked ready to cruise to victory at Jakarta&#x27;s Istora Senayan. But the Cedars followed star point-guard Wael Arakji&#x27;s lead in the final 7 minutes to make it a game.A split at the line by power-forward Rhys Anthony Vague and a miss by center Ali Haidar on a desperation heave helped Australia survive.Meanwhile, New Zealand beat Jordan 83-75 in the earlier game to take third place.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/24/22/live-blog-fiba-asia-cup-final-australia-vs-lebanon">LIVE BLOG: 2022 FIBA Asia Cup final – Australia vs. Lebanon</a></li></ul>NBA veteran big man Thon Maker finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, two steals and three blocks to pace Australia, which won wire-to-wire but was never comfortable ahead.Guard Mitch McCarron added 12 points, and playmaker Tyrese Proctor chipped in 10, including two free throws that gave the Boomers a 74-70 cushion with 9 seconds remaining.Arakji, Lebanon&#x27;s heart and soul, then buried a 3-pointer off shooting guard Elie Chamoun&#x27;s assist to make it 74-73.Hoping to get possession back, Arakji was forced to foul, which sent Vague to the line where he split his free throws.The Boomers built a 16-point lead midway through the second quarter, but they couldn&#x27;t shake off the determined Cedars, who were in their first FIBA Asia Cup final since 2007.They were up 64-49 with 6:05 left in the game when Lebanon started to heat up.Lebanon found its range from long distance, then Haidar and Chamoun each scored a bucket as they cut the deficit to 72-65 with 1:34 remaining.That&#x27;s when the Cedars went to their MVP and leading scorer.Arakji made two free throws after he was fouled by point-guard William McDowell-White from long distance, scored on a layup in Lebanon&#x27;s next play, and sank the triple that kept the game&#x27;s outcome in doubt in the waning seconds.Arakji, who scored just six points at the half, finished with a game-high 28 points on 7-of-11 shooting from behind the arc and 8 of 15 overall from the field.Haidar added 23 points for Lebanon, which entered the game with a 5-0 record, similar to Australia.

Australia weathered a fourth-quarter scoring rampage by Lebanon to win 75-73 and remain champions of the FIBA Asia Cup on Sunday.