Boomer Mark Worthington in action against China on Saturday night. Source: Paul Kane / Getty Images
WEST Australian Mark Worthington took another significant step in sealing his place in Australia's squad for September's World Cup after leading the Boomers to an 85-64 win at Challenge Stadium on Saturday night.
The dual Olympian scored 11 of his team-high 14 points in the first half and provided plenty of trademark hustle to prove his importance to the side and help establish a 2-0 lead in the Sino-Australia Challenge.
In a series featuring an understrength Boomers squad due to commitments in other leagues, Worthington - who turns 31 next week - looks to have secured his place on the flight to Spain.
Luke Nevill again showed off his outside touch and punctuated the night with two huge dunks to finish with 12 points, while Brock Motum added 10 and six rebounds in limited court time.
The match almost descended into farce just minutes from the end when China coach Gong Luming refused to leave the arena after being ejected for a second technical foul.
Play was held up for several minutes as officials implored Luming to leave, but the game's final 2:46 eventually resumed despite the coach remaining courtside.
Australia coach Andrej Lemanis refused to comment on the behaviour of his counterpart ahead of the series shifting to China this week for the remaining two games.
"It was good for our guys to go through that experience and have to deal with that and not react emotionally," Lemanis said.
"In China, we're going to have the same sort of challenge put in front of us.
"I'll concentrate on my group. China will do what China does."
When asked if he would leave the arena if ejected in China, Lemanis replied: "I play by the rules, so yeah, absolutely."
The Boomers' local contingent made its presence felt early, with former Wildcat Luke Nevill and Bunbury duo Worthington and Cam Gliddon combining for the side's first five baskets.
The home side simply suffocated China defensively, with a full-court press triggering four first-quarter turnovers and preventing any sort of offensive rhythm.
The most Lemanis had to exert himself in the first half was to walk on the court to pick up point guard Hugh Greenwood's displaced headband during play.
After operating at an electric 64 per cent clip in the first half of Thursday's game, China's shooters went cold in the corresponding half last night, registering just 26 per cent.
To make matters worse, the side was unable to get practice shots up at half time because the notoriously fickle Challenge Stadium baskets were being repaired.
Things briefly became heated when Xu Zhong-Hao caught Tom Jervis with an elbow midcourt, resulting in a baffling unsportsmanlike foul for the Wildcats centre after shoving in retaliation.
Tempers flared at regular intervals afterward, but the Boomers were never seriously threatened where it counted – on the scoreboard – as they backed up Thursday's 97-95 win.
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