AUS - 2008 Boomers squad announced

SYDNEY (Olympics) - Basketball Australia is pleased to announce the athletes selected to represent the Australia Post Boomers in the lead up to Beijing.

The squad was announced this morning at Rosehill Public School in Sydney’s west, where classes are named after Olympic teams and the first grade class is called ‘The Boomers’.

Australia Post’s ‘Junior Boomers’ program, where Boomers go 'back to school' by revisiting their primary schools to conduct clinics, was also announced.

The athletes will be put through a rigorous schedule of training camps and international practice games before the names of the final 12 players are a provided to the AOC in early July.

“The first step was to get everybody to put their hand up for selection and we got everyone we wanted with the exception of Stephen Black, who made himself unavailable due to injury” Goorjian said.

“We’ve got a strong squad and some very good players will miss the cut.”

The door is now wide open for 19-year old point guard Patrick Mills, who was a vital part of the Australia Post Boomers’ qualification series victory over New Zealand last August, to make his Olympic debut.

“It’s an important position for us, said Goorjian.

"So not only do I see Patrick being a part of it I seem him being a very, very important part.

"He's gone to America and performed great and he's also a young Aboriginal boy who's a tremendous role model."

Hummer NBL MVP Chris Anstey was named in the squad after a stellar domestic season with the Melbourne Tigers. He has not played a major event for the Boomers since 2000.

"He's playing great basketball right now,” Goorjian said. “We are really excited that Chris has made himself available and in my conversations with him he's very, very excited about the opportunity to play in Beijing.


The 2008 Australia Post Boomers squad:
(with their most recent team and country played in)


Aron BAYNES Washington State University (USA)
Aaron BRUCE Baylor University (USA)
Adam GIBSON Brisbane Bullets
Aleks MARIC University of Nebraska (USA)
Alex LOUGHTON Perth Wildcats
Andrew BOGUT Milwaukee Bucks (USA)
Andrew OGILVY Vanderbilt University (USA)
Brad NEWLEY Panionios BC (Greece)
Chris ANSTEY Melbourne Tigers
CJ BRUTON Brisbane Bullets
Damien RYAN Vanoli Soresina (Italy)
Darnell MEE Cairns Taipans
David ANDERSEN CSKA Moscow (Russia)
David BARLOW Melbourne Tigers
Glen SAVILLE Sydney Kings
Ian CROSSWHITE Sydney Kings
Jacob HOLMES South Dragons
James HARVEY Gold Coast Blaze
Jason SMITH Sydney Kings
Joe INGLES South Dragons
Luke KENDALL Sydney Kings
Luke SCHENSCHER Brose Baskets (Germany)
Mark WORTHINGTON Sydney Kings
Matthew KNIGHT West Sydney Razorbacks
Matthew NIELSEN Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania)
Nathan JAWAI Cairns Taipans
Nathan CROSSWELL Melbourne Tigers
Patrick MILLS St. Mary’s College (USA)
Peter CRAWFORD Perth Wildcats
Russell HINDER Sydney Kings
Sam MACKINNON Brisbane Bullets
Shawn REDHAGE Perth Wildcats
Wade HELLIWELL Solsonica Rieti (Italy)



For more information please contact:
Bill Baxter
Basketball Australia