NANJING (Olympics) – CJ Bruton buried a game-winning three-pointer for Australia against Angola on Thursday to clinch a spot for the Boomers in the final of the Diamond Ball for Men.

Australia, who beat China on Wednesday but were in danger of losing to the African champions after falling behind by as many as six points in the fourth quarter, won 81-78.

Boomers center Andrew Bogut, who had a game-high 32 points and 11 rebounds, set a screen for Bruton and the Australia playmaker uncorked the shot from long range.

He raised both of his arms in the air before the ball fell through the hoop as the buzzer sounded.

“It was an exciting time,” Bruton said.

“Situations like that, I like to have the ball in my hands.

“When I let it fly and it felt good, I just lifted my hands up like back home.”

Bogut was sensational in his second game since joining the team this summer.

"Credit to Angola, they played very hard all game,” he said to FIBA.

“They are a very tough country to match up with because they can all shoot the ball and they can go to the basket.

“They have improved a lot since the last time I played against them in Athens in 2004.”

Olimpio Cipriano put forth another breathtaking display with 23 points for the African champions, again wowing the crowd with his soaring drives to the basket, while Eduardo Mingas and Joaquim Gomes gave Australia fits around the basket on both ends of the floor.

Mingas finished with 20 points and eight rebounds while Gomes had 17 and seven.

Neither was as good as Bogut, though, who earlier this summer signed a contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks.

"All of these preparation games are really important to get a feel for the ball, for the different style of refereeing,” he said.

“It's more a European style of game and that is different from the Australian and NBA game and we have to get used to that.

"It has been a tough adjustment to some of the guys, but the guys have accepted me well. It has been good.

“As long as we go and play hard as we have done in the past two games, we will be okay."

Australia will play in Group A at the Olympics with Lithuania, Croatia, Russia, Argentina and Iran while Angola will be in Group B with Team USA, Spain, Germany, Greece and China.

FIBA