AUS - Dellavedova contends for spot with Boomers

PORTLAND (Olympics) - When it comes to staying mentally tough in basketball games, Australian guard Matthew Dellavedova has an advantage.

The 21-year-old, a player with the Saint Mary's Gaels in California, is majoring in psychology and has a very impressive 3.61 grade point average that has earned him a spot on the Academic All-America Division I Men's Basketball Team.

Dellavedova is the first Saint Mary's men's basketball player to claim first-team Academic All-America honors.

St Mary's fans, and all of those fans Down Under who are keeping tabs on the latest Aussie to hit it big in American college basketball, are mostly paying attention to Dellavedova's work on the basketball court.

He helped Australia win the 2011 Oceania Championship to book a place at the London Games and is firmly in contention for a place in the Boomers' Olympic squad.

Dellavedova had 12 points, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals on Thursday night in a 70-43 rout of Portland that clinched at least a share of first place of the West Coast Conference title for the Gaels.

The Maryborough native is averaging 15.5 points and 6.4 assists per game and is proving to be indispensible for Gaels coach Randy Bennett.

"Matthew is a tremendous leader and a great role model," Bennett said.

"He has an outstanding work ethic, both on and off the court, and simply expects to do the little things that set him apart from others. 

"He makes a really positive impact on everyone around him."

FIBA