Australia and Great Britain went the distance and then some in the final day of the Olympic Test Event, with Australia edging it 91-90 after overtime.
Brad Newley led the Boomers with 23 points, while Luol Deng led all scorers in defeat with 26 points and nine rebounds. 18-year-old Devon Van Oostrum could be a surprise inclusion for GB as he impressed with nine points and five assists in limited playing time.
Australia had their noses in-front for the majority of the contest, until Van Oostrum hit a three-pointer to cut the Aussies’ lead to three (62-59) at the end of the third.
Deng then cut the deficit to one to open the final period, but Australia responded to GB’s surge. Opening a 71-65 lead half-way through the fourth.
Van Oostrum gave Britain the lead, 80-78 with a little over a minute left, but it was to be GB’s last score. Joe Ingles levelled the game up for the Boomers from the line, which sent the game to overtime with the score tied at 80.
Gibson opened the extra period scoring for Australia before Deng fed Lenzly for a three to put GB ahead and Freeland made it a three point game.
That lead grew to five and Freeland dunked off a slick van Oostrum pass, but Newly hit a big three with 50 seconds left to make it a one point GB lead.
A massive Deng block on Ingles saw that lead maintained and Adegboye was sent to the line on the break, only to miss both foul shots.
Deng sent Damian Martin to the line with 10.6 seconds left where he split his free-throws to tie the game again, and Deng turned the ball over leaving Adegboye forced to foul Gibson, who sunk one of two at the line to seal the victory.
France brought the Test Event to a close with a 80-77 victory over Serbia, ending the London Prepares series unbeaten.
Tony Parker once again dominated with 24 points as France continue their good form heading to Eurobasket.
The first game on the final day saw Croatia comfortably despatch of China 83-53. Bojan Bogdanovic led the victors with 16 points.