AUS - 19 Boomers take next step to FIBA World Championship
SYDNEY (FIBA World Championship) - Australian Boomers coach Brian Goorjian has named 19 athletes to take the next step toward the World Championships in Japan this August. After a try-out camp in Canberra last week, Goorjian has a strong group
::WIN a trip to the FIBA World Championship Finals weekend ::
SYDNEY (FIBA World Championship) - Australian Boomers coach Brian Goorjian has named 19 athletes to take the next step toward the FIBA World Championship in Japan this August.
After a try-out camp in Canberra last week, Goorjian has a strong group to work out at the next camp in Gosford from July 5 to 9. Big men Chris Anstey, Wade Helliwell and Matthew Nielsen have joined the squad after being unavailable for the first camp.
AIS scholarship holder, Patrick Mills (17) impressed Goorjian at the first camp and has fought his way through the next cut. As a talented point guard and with CJ Bruton (NBA Summer Camp) and Stephen Black (injured) unavailable, Mills has a good chance to prove himself as a Boomer before he is old enough to buy a beer in a pub.
David Andersen and Glen Saville have been included in the squad, but will need to prove their fitness to Goorjian before the end of the camp when the team to take on New Zealand in the four-test series will be selected. Athletes understand the importance of being named in that team, as it will no-doubt provide a glimpse of the final team for the World Championships.
After naming a 12-man team on July 9, the Boomers will leave for New Zealand at 9am on July 10. They play their first match in Napier on July 12 and follow that up with another on July 14. The team jets into Hobart on July 15 for the Australian leg of the tournament. The Resi Mortgage Test Series tips off at the Derwent Entertainment Centre at 7:30pm on July 17. Teams then travel to Melbourne on July 18 and play the final match of the Resi Mortgage Test Series at Vodafone Arena on July 19.
The full squad for the next Boomers camp follows. The camp will be held at the Gosford City Basketball Stadium in Terrigal NSW from July 5 to 9.
Australian Boomers squad:
David Andersen, Chris Anstey, David Barlow, Andrew Bogut, Aaron Bruce, Wade Helliwell, Nathan Jawai, Luke Kendall, Daniel Kickert, Sam Mackinnon, Alex Maric, Steven Markovic, Patrick Mills, Brad Newley, Matthew Nielsen, Russell Hinder, Glen Saville, Jason Smith, Mark Worthington.
Basketball Australia