MELBOURNE (FIBA U17 World Championship) - It's hard to think of Isaac Humphries as a baby when you look at the huge youngster who will control the low post for Australia at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship.

Still, even though the 2.13m big man will not turn 17 until January, Humphries will be a big key to the team's high hopes in Dubai next month (8-16 August).

"He's only a baby. He'll be a bottom age player (1998-born) at the Worlds, one of three we will have on the team. In saying that, he doesn't play like that. He's matured a lot in the last six months," said Australian coach Mark Watkins.

According to the coach, Humphries has a strong body, is good around the rim with both hands, rebounds well and is a very good passer.

The youngster also had the huge honor last year of being invited to the senior Boomers camp as a 15-year-old and was working with national team assistant coach and legendary Australian big man Luc Longley.

Watkins said his youngster also has worked on his strength and conditioning in the last 12 months as well as his mid-range game. But the coach won't have Humphries too far away from the basket at the world event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

"We want him in the post a fair bit and setting good hard screens and rolling," said the coach, who added that the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence scholarship holder is also working hard on his post and transition defense.

"He's certainly a key to the future. And I'm sure plenty of scouts will be out there watching him play."

Australia have been drawn into Group B of the Championship with France, Canada and Japan. And Watkins has lofty hopes for his team.

"I'd like to replicate making the Final what the last group did (in 2012). There's not a lot of pressure to do that because that was a very special group with Dante Exum. Medaling would certainly be in the cards for us and that's what we're chasing, maybe the Final," said Watkins.

"You want to have a crack at the best and find out where you are against the best. That would be our ultimate goal. Game-by-game as the old cliche goes but we are hoping for a medal for sure."

While the 2012 squad - which lost to the USA in the Final - did have a superstar like Exum as well as talented players like Ben Simmons, Mirko Djeric and Nicholas Duncan, the Aussies did not have a low post presence like Watkins' team does in Humphries.

"He's a big piece of the puzzle. The Australian team two years ago came second in the Worlds but probably didn't have that type of player. And if they did, maybe it would have been a little bit closer of a result against the U.S. In saying that, we do have it. He's going to be a big piece of our offense and defense, along with other guys," said Watkins.

But Humphries isn't the only big man Australia will have at his disposal.

The Australian of Sudanese heritage Deng Gak is close to seven feet tall as is Harry Froling - both of whom, like Humphries, are 1998-born players.

"We're trying to put some weight on (Gak). He's certainly gotten better the last six months as he fills out and gets used to his body and learns more about the game," Watkins said about the wiry big man.

"He gives us a little bit more of a different dynamic than Isaac, who is the bigger, heavier five-man whereas Deng is the longer, skinnier shot-blocker above the rim type guy. They complement each other."

About Froling, Watkins said: "Harry's really matured in the last six months at the Centre of Excellence and got himself fitter. He has a mixture of perimeter shooting and inside. He's another good passer and a kid who wants it."

Watkins heads to Dubai with a bit of a young three-headed monster in the paint.

"There are three guys who can play the center spot for us and hold the fort up for us and give us good targets on the offensive end. It's a deep team and I don't think we're lacking in any position," said the coach.

"And Isaac is a big part of that."

Not just because of his physical size.

FIBA