Boomers coach Brian Goorjian accuses stars of playing ‘hero ball’ – as Australia qualify for Olympic quarter-finals despite shock defeat to Greece

Seething Boomers coach Brian Goorjian has accused his misfiring team of playing ‘hero ball’ after Australia were fortunate not to be sent packing from the Olympics following a shock defeat against Greece.

In Goorjian’s eyes, the Boomers’ first half was woeful – and he didn’t mince his words when reflecting on the 77-71 loss in Lille.

‘There was a lot of hero ball, head dropping and poor defence,’ he fumed. 

‘That led to us not being able to play the defence that we know we can play. I thought the second half we did a better job.

‘We’ve got young point guards in their first Olympics. Guys who are 20, 21 and I don’t know if they have played in a game of this magnitude. 

‘But in the second half it was all huddles, talk, grit and ball movement and that’s what we need going ahead.’

Aussie basketball legend Andrew Bogut agreed with Goorjian’s scathing assessment – and stressed the Boomers were lucky not to be on the next plane out of Paris.

They needed Canada to do them a favour and they obliged with a three-point win over Spain in Group A.

Boomers coach Brian Goorjian has accused his team of playing ‘hero ball’ after Australia were fortunate not to be sent packing from the Olympics following a shock defeat against Greece

Australia started slowly and while they improved in the second half, they were fortunate to progress to the quarter-finals after a six-point defeat (pictured left, Boomers star Patty Mills)

‘In the first half we kind of sleepwalked out there thinking we’re just going to tick a box against Greece….and you can’t do that against any team in the Olympics,’ Bogut said on The Gold Standard podcast.

‘It was a tale of two halves. We [also] can’t afford to be so inconsistent. 

‘I think that’s been the [Boomers] problem for a while now, we can look good then super bad in patches.

‘To be consistently good in these tournaments [like the Olympics], you got to kind of flatline it a little bit.’

In the lead up to the clash, the Boomers were well aware Greek superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was the man they needed to contain on court.

The Milwaukee Bucks power forward was everywhere in a dominant performance, and finished with 20 points to his name.

Australia’s next opponent is yet to be determined, with the remaining pool matches still to be completed.