KAUNAS (2012 FIBA U17 World Championship) - Australia used a 17-0 fourth quarter run to grab a 78-59 victory over Argentina in the Quarter-Finals of the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship to reach the final four.

Dante Exum paced the Australians with 23 points, while Ben Simmons scored all 12 of his points in the fourth quarter to go along with 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks.

The difference in the game was the Argentineans committing 20 turnovers and Australia winning the rebound battle 40-26.

Argentina big man Gabriel Deck scored 19 points while Alvaro Merlo hit for 14. The South Americans now can best finish fifth.

The South Americans owned the lead the entire first quarter in a tough period that ended with them ahead 17-14. They pushed the margin up to eight points and the Australians never got in front as they trailed 30-26 at halftime.

The third quarter went back and forth with 15 lead changes or ties and the game was even 53-53 going into the final 10 minutes.

Argentina scored the first point of the fourth quarter but could not score in more than five minutes in producing a 17-0 run to blow the game open for a 70-54 lead with just more than three minutes to play.

FIBA