Americans Edge Out Australia in Thrilling Pre-Olympic Match

The U.S. Olympic basketball team secured a narrow 98-92 victory over Australia in a pre-Olympic exhibition game. Despite a strong comeback by Australia, late-game heroics from Tyrese Haliburton and steady contributions from Anthony Davis helped seal the win. The match highlighted both strengths and areas for improvement for the U.S. squad.

There was a mixture of highs and lows for the US Olympic basketball team on Monday. Anthony Davis delivered an impressive performance, scoring 17 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, while Tyrese Haliburton sank two crucial late-game 3-pointers to help the U.S. clinch a 98-92 win over Australia.

Devin Booker contributed 16 points, Anthony Edwards added 14, and LeBron James, Bam Adebayo, and Joel Embiid each finished with 10. The U.S., now 2-0 in its exhibition series ahead of the Paris Olympics, will face Serbia next in Abu Dhabi.

Despite a comfortable 24-point lead midway through the third quarter, Australia surged back with a 39-21 run, reducing the gap to just six points with 5:05 left. Haliburton's back-to-back 3-pointers extended the lead again, ensuring the U.S. remained in control. Booker further secured the victory by sinking four free throws in the final eight seconds.

(With inputs from agencies.)