Basketball On The Internet.

OUTSTANDING early defensive pressure featuring double-teams and great rotations tonight in Manila drove Australia's FIBA World Cup qualifying record to 8-0, Anthony Dell'Orso leading the scoring in a 126-93 win over Jordan which was more comfortable than the officiating made it appear.

Elijah Pepper, Australia's star in Friday's 123-64 rout of Syria, opened the game in similar confident fashion, driving to the hoop for the basket and bonus free throw.

En route to an international career best 10 assists, Luke Travers converted an additional free throw before Pepper struck from beyond the arc.

Then it was Angus Glover's turn from outside the arc, before two free throw makes by Sam Froling meant the Aussies' opening flourish amounted to a 12-0 start.

Just as their 11-0 start against Syria underpinned the win, so too did this 12-0 outburst. Yes. Two words.

Game over.

Apart from the clear disparity in talent and athleticism, Jordan showed zero foul discipline throughout the game, Australia in bonus within two minutes of the second quarter's start.

As if to keep the match looking like a contest, the whistle-happy officiating left much to be desired, the Aussies ultimately called for 28 fouls to 27!

Some of the calls were real shake-your-headers.

The whistling overtures translated to 37 free throws for Jordan and 35 for Australia, helping keep this game teetering on the brink of a yawn-inducing sleep-fest.

If it wasn't for the exploits of Anthony Dell'Orso (19 points at 58 per cent), Angus Glover (16 points), Tom Wilson (13 points, 3-of-4 threes), Max, Dash, Tanner and Jacob, this would have far sooner regressed into a remote-rove across the stations in search of anything more entertaining.

(Do they still have a test pattern anywhere?) 

The Aussies shot 52 per cent from the floor to 38, all 12 players scoring, and owned the glass 49-33.

Bendigo's Blitz beckons, with far better basketball on the horizon.

AUSTRALIA 126 (Dell'Orso 19, Glover 16, Bannan 15, Pepper 14, Wilson 13; Holt 9 rebs; Travers 10 assts) d JORDAN 93 (Hawwas 21, Olajuwon, Harris 19, Ibrahim 11, Saleh 10; Saleh 8 rebs; Ibrahim, Harris 3 assts) at Mall of Asia Arena, Manila.

NEW ZEALAND 126 (C.Webster 22, Cameron 21, Mennenga 20, Waardenburg, Te Rangi 13, Davison 10; Timmins, Yates 6 rebs; T.Webster 9 assts) d SYRIA 74 (Justice 22, Michelsson 9; Maran, Justice 5 rebs; Justice 5 assts) at Mall of Asia Arena, Manila.

Pics courtesy of fiba.com