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Australia's Patrick Mills celebrates his game-winner against Russia - Source: Reuters
To the Boomers, an Olympic quarterfinal match-up with star-studded Team USA is more than just a tell-your-grandkids moment.
High on Patty Mills' buzzer-beating three-pointer to beat Russia in their final preliminary match tonight, the Australians say they don't fear the mission impossible of Olympic basketball assignments.
The United States will square off against Australia if they beat Argentina, as expected, in their final preliminary match later tonight and top their group.
But while mindful of what's coming, Boomers coach Brett Brown and Mills are relishing the chance to test their three-game winning streak against the US team, headed by LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.
"I'm very familiar with what we're about to encounter," said Brown, also an assistant coach with NBA side San Antonio Spurs."Our focus is just about playing prideful Australian basketball.
"It's a competitive situation that we embrace. We look forward to playing that level of talent.
"We have a lot of guys who want to use this opportunity as a measuring stick to see where they're at. We look forward to continuing our good form against the world's best players."
Among those relishing a yardstick will be Mills, whose extraordinary late three-pointer gave Australia an 82-80 victory over the top team in Group B, and Joe Ingles, who piled on 20 points to continue a breakout tournament.
"It felt really good," said Mills. "It's one of those shots you dream of making at the Olympic Games and to do it against a good team like Russia is great.
"We've gotten better each game - there's a lot on the line. We understand how good they [the US] are, but this is a great opportunity."
Mills' gamewinner - another in a remarkable series of individual highlights from Australia's Olympic men's and women's basketballers at these Games - gave the Boomers a win after they trailed by a point with four seconds left.
Vitaliy Fridzon's pair of free-throws off a Matt Nielsen foul looked set to give Russia a win in a match that was tense and tight all the way through, even though it had no effect on the final in-group positions.
With Russia already qualified as the top team in the group and the Boomers finishing fourth regardless of the result, the Boomers found their early range from the perimeter, shooting 7/13 from beyond the arc to Russia's 6/13 in the first half.
They led by nine points at quarter-time, before Russia rallied to within a point at halftime. Then Joe Ingles stepped up for Australia with a monster third term, helping himself to nine of his 20 points in the period.
What followed in the fourth was the teams trading baskets and defence that was near-Greco-Roman wrestling at times.
Then, just a point behind, Mills found space beyond the arc and drained the three to send his team-mates wild.