Brilliant Mitch Creek highlights Boomers' talent riches

MELBOURNE (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers) – Australia expectedly moved into the second round of the Asian Qualifiers after a successful home stand in the second window.

With convincing victories over the Philippines and Chinese Taipei, the Boomers continued their winning ways and unearthed several talented players amid an emerging golden generation for basketball Down Under.

Without their NBA players, the Boomers continue to experiment to ensure they build enviable depth. It was a golden opportunity for players to show their worth in a determined effort to be part of the selection melting pot for when the Boomers are eventually at full-strength- either at major tournaments or potentially during the upcoming third window with several of their NBA players reportedly keen to take part.

The undoubted star of Australia's second window was Mitch Creek who had 12 points and 11 rebounds against the Philippines bettered by a flawless 18 points - on 9-of-9 shooting - and 9 rebounds versus Chinese Taipei. The newly crowned Adelaide 36ers MVP absolutely looked a class above the rest especially against Chinese Taipei in a dominant performance consisting of just 15 minutes.

The flexible 6 foot 5 player, who is comfortable playing the two and three positons, relentlessly attacked the rim punctuated by a spectacular hammer dunk to showcase his athleticism. Creek isn’t just a scoring machine, he is an elite defensive force who relentlessly can hold his own on the perimeter due to his length and bang bodies in the paint against bigger-sized players.

Strongly built, the 25-year-old has a physicality and presence that impressed the Utah Jazz brains trust last year when he played in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Creek’s sensational play in the second window has almost certainly guaranteed him a coveted spot in Australia’s squad for their next assignment even though there is a possibility some NBA players might be available for the matches in the Philippines and Japan.

Creek said he was excited about the prospect of playing Gilas Pilipinas in the Mall of Asia Arena in what should be a sell-out crowd comprised of enthusiastic hoops-loving locals. The Boomers had a dose of that type of fandom after playing in front of a healthy smattering of Filipinos during the clash in Melbourne last Thursday.

“Whether it’s 5000 or 50,000 if you are not strong-willed enough to accept the challenge and realise it is a basketball game and nothing more then it will get to you,” Creek said of the challenge of playing in Manila. “I know this team is strong enough to do it mentally and physically we have shown we can get up and down. With what we have done so far we can puff our chest out and say ‘who do we have to play next?’”

The Boomers have smartly used the opportunity without their frontline talent to build a selfless team culture, something akin to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA who can sustain success without their stars.

“Whether guys are in World Cup teams or Olympic teams, we all have a part in helping us get there,” Boomers guard Kevin Lisch said. “It’s a fun time and it’s kind of neat that we get to use NBL players.”

Amid a basketball resurgence in Australia, the Boomers are building a strong foundation in a determined effort to become a powerhouse in the international arena. With the likes of Mitch Creek emerging, the future looks rosy for the Boomers.

FIBA