New faces featured in Australia's fifth window pool

CANBERRA (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) - A pair of rising stars in the NBL will be featured as Australia prepares for fifth window Asian Qualifiers action next month.

Those two are Kyle Adnam from the Sydney Kings and Harry Froling from the Adelaide 36ers, and they will join veteran Tom Jervis as the new blood who will hope to get spots on a Boomers squad aiming for outright qualification to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

Not surprisingly, all 12 of the Boomers who played in the previous window are in the pool along with NBA hopeful Mitch Creek, who is training with the Long Island Nets of the G-League.

One of their main matchups in the next window is against West Asia powerhouse Iran, and head coach Andrej Lemanis certainly has that date circled on his calendar. That encounter will be on 30 November and will be a rematch of the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 Final that saw Australia prevail, 79-56.

"I know we’re all looking forward to the match-up with Iran - we had a great contest against them in the Asia Cup final," he said. "They present some unique challenges and that has been kept in mind as we select this group of 24."

That will be followed by a game against GCC champions Qatar, who are fighting for their lives in the second round of the Asian Qualifiers. Meanwhile, Australia need just one more win to book their tickets to China next year.

Both of the Boomers' fifth window fixtures will be at the Margaret Court Arena, with their Qatar game taking place on 3 December.

The significance of these games is not lost on Lemanis, who is aiming for nothing less than excellence from his wards.

"This will be another important window for us," he explained. "I know we’re all looking forward to the games in Melbourne, and as always, I’m privileged and honoured to get the opportunity to represent Australia and work with these outstanding athletes."

FIBA