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GOING into last night's final quarter of the feisty FIBA World Cup qualifier between Australia and China with scores locked away at 45-45, few would have predicted the 26-3 final avalanche which buried the visitors 71-48, or that the Boomers' would produce impeccable defence and 5-of-7 triples.

At that stage, the Boomers were 4-of-19 from long range but stroked their first three attempts, Jack White leading the onslaught with 3-of-3 from three in that fateful final quarter.

Little separated the teams throughout, China ahead by seven and still by five at 43-38 late in the third.

Matthew Dellavedova then took control, first by nailing a 3-pointer, then taking the ball downcourt at pace, to be bumped sideways, drawing an unsportsmanlike foul.

It was China's second USF, coach Feng Du also opening with a technical foul after less than three minutes from tip-off. They wanted it all right.

Dellavedova converted both free throws and scores were tied at 43-43, as they would be again 90 seconds later on 45-45 with a quarter to come.

Playing in front of a large - and at times hostile pro-China crowd - and with both Jack McVeigh and Clint Steindl out with injury, few would have foreseen what was to come. But the Boomers started the quarter with Mitch McCarron blocking a shot, then going coast-to-coast to be fouled.

He converted a free throw and Dellavedova (13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists) iced his second 3-pointer for 49-45.

Great defensive pressure from the Aussies forced turnovers and rushed open misses from China and when White stuck his first three of the period, it was 52-45 and time-out by the embattled visitors.

It made no difference, McCarron sticking a triple for 55-45 before Dellavedova threw up a sweet lob for Thon Maker (13 points, 8 rebounds) to slam home.

Sam McDaniel's jumper pumped the lead to 59-45 and Australia on a 14-0 run, 16-0 going back into the last hoop of the third.

With 5:26 on the clock, Zhelin Wang dropped in a free throw for China's first score of the quarter, White (16 points, 14 rebounds) immediately erasing it with another 3-point swish.

At 4:11, Junwei Ren scored his only shot of the night and China's solitary field goal of the last quarter for 48-62, the Boomers rattling off the game's final nine points, including a slick slam by Keanu Pinder.

Coach Brian Goorjian found time for debutante Wani Lodu Swaka Lo Buluk and upgraded reserves Tyrese Proctor and Alex Ducas as the Boomers swept through this FIBA window a comfortable 3-0.

AUSTRALIA BOOMERS 71 (White 16, Dellavedova, Maker 13; White 14 rebs; McDowell-White 5 assts) d CHINA 48 (Wang 12, Zhao 8, Zhu 7; Zhou 8 rebs; Guo, Zhu 2 assts) at John Cain Arena.

ALL pictures courtesy of FIBA.com