Todd Blanchfield throws down a dunk against Iran.Credit:AAP
Australian Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis has predicted some of his NBL-based players will make the team for next years FIBA World Cup in China.
The Boomers locked in their place at the World Cup with a 76-47 win over an understrength Iran at Margaret Court Arena on Friday night.
Lemanis praised the 24 players who have played during the campaign so far. All are NBL players except for Matthew Dellavedova and Thon Maker who played two games each in the July window.
Under FIBA rules, NBA clubs are not required to release players for qualifiers during the US season and Lemanis excused his overseas players from off-season games so they could rest.
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So Lemanis put the onus on his NBL players who have so far produced an 8-1 record with three games remaining in qualifying.
As you reflect on the whole process, its a grind, there is a lot to it to qualify so it was nice to get that done now, Lemanis said.
That was the end game for this process, to have that done now and not be required to get a win in the sixth [last] window is in some ways a relief. We have now used 24 players throughout the qualifying series and that speaks to the depth of talent from a skill prospective and the amazing attitude towards playing for their country and doing it the right way.
When it comes time to select next years World Cup roster of 12 players, Lemanis knows the likes of NBA stars Ben Simmons, Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles and Aron Baynes would be walk-up starts should they be fit and available. But injuries, contracts and other issues could make room for more of the NBL players to make the final roster.
Certainly cards on the table from within the program will count for something, Lemanis said.
No one is unrealistic. They all know that when here comes Patty Mills and Joe Ingles – they are not going to miss the team but the other reality is that while we have nine or 10 guys in the NBA, not everyone is going to be available.
History suggests someone will be injured, someone will have issues with their contract or something is going on in someones personal life or their club is putting pressure on them not to play.
They wont all be available and there will be spots available for these guys and we spoke about it when we started this process with the entire group. This is the reality, you are going to do all the heavy lifting without a guarantee of a reward at the end of it.
If it is not for you please tell us and there will be no hard feelings – but they all put their hands up.
The Boomers still have a home clash with Qatar at Margaret Court Arena tomorrow night then two away games against Kazakhstan and Iran in February to complete the qualifying campaign.
Those wins could still help towards seedings for the World Cup draw and Boomers star Nathan Sobey said he and his teammates wouldnt be taking their eye off the ball.
Everyone is going to put their best foot forward no matter what, Sobey said. This group has down a tremendous job game in, game out of just playing together and embracing every opportunity to come together and I think we will just keep doing that.
The Overseas Boomers: Guards: Ben Simmons, Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles, Dante Exum, Mitch Creek, Will McDowell-White, Dejan Vasiljevic Forwards: Jonah Bolden, Ryan Broekhoff, Deng Adel, Brock Motum, Xavier Cooks, Jack White. Centres: Aron Baynes, Thon Maker, Mangok Mathiang, Jock Landale, Isaac Humphries.
The NBL Boomers: Guards: Nathan Sobey, Jason Cadee, Mitch McCarron, Cameron Gliddon, Kevin Lisch, Chris Goulding, Damian Martin, Mitch Norton, Anthony Drmic. Forwards: Nick Kay, Todd Blanchfield, Daniel Kickert, David Barlow, Jesse Wagstaff, David Andersen, Craig Moller. Centres: Andrew Bogut, Angus Brandt, Daniel Johnson, Matt Hodgson, Nathan Jawai.
Roy Ward is a Sports writer for The Age.
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Todd Blanchfield throws down a dunk against Iran.Credit:AAP
Australian Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis has predicted some of his NBL-based players will make the team for next years FIBA World Cup in China.
The Boomers locked in their place at the World Cup with a 76-47 win over an understrength Iran at Margaret Court Arena on Friday night.
Lemanis praised the 24 players who have played during the campaign so far. All are NBL players except for Matthew Dellavedova and Thon Maker who played two games each in the July window.
Under FIBA rules, NBA clubs are not required to release players for qualifiers during the US season and Lemanis excused his overseas players from off-season games so they could rest.
Advertisement
So Lemanis put the onus on his NBL players who have so far produced an 8-1 record with three games remaining in qualifying.
As you reflect on the whole process, its a grind, there is a lot to it to qualify so it was nice to get that done now, Lemanis said.
That was the end game for this process, to have that done now and not be required to get a win in the sixth [last] window is in some ways a relief. We have now used 24 players throughout the qualifying series and that speaks to the depth of talent from a skill prospective and the amazing attitude towards playing for their country and doing it the right way.
When it comes time to select next years World Cup roster of 12 players, Lemanis knows the likes of NBA stars Ben Simmons, Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles and Aron Baynes would be walk-up starts should they be fit and available. But injuries, contracts and other issues could make room for more of the NBL players to make the final roster.
Certainly cards on the table from within the program will count for something, Lemanis said.
No one is unrealistic. They all know that when here comes Patty Mills and Joe Ingles – they are not going to miss the team but the other reality is that while we have nine or 10 guys in the NBA, not everyone is going to be available.
History suggests someone will be injured, someone will have issues with their contract or something is going on in someones personal life or their club is putting pressure on them not to play.
They wont all be available and there will be spots available for these guys and we spoke about it when we started this process with the entire group. This is the reality, you are going to do all the heavy lifting without a guarantee of a reward at the end of it.
If it is not for you please tell us and there will be no hard feelings – but they all put their hands up.
The Boomers still have a home clash with Qatar at Margaret Court Arena tomorrow night then two away games against Kazakhstan and Iran in February to complete the qualifying campaign.
Those wins could still help towards seedings for the World Cup draw and Boomers star Nathan Sobey said he and his teammates wouldnt be taking their eye off the ball.
Everyone is going to put their best foot forward no matter what, Sobey said. This group has down a tremendous job game in, game out of just playing together and embracing every opportunity to come together and I think we will just keep doing that.
The Overseas Boomers: Guards: Ben Simmons, Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Ingles, Dante Exum, Mitch Creek, Will McDowell-White, Dejan Vasiljevic Forwards: Jonah Bolden, Ryan Broekhoff, Deng Adel, Brock Motum, Xavier Cooks, Jack White. Centres: Aron Baynes, Thon Maker, Mangok Mathiang, Jock Landale, Isaac Humphries.
The NBL Boomers: Guards: Nathan Sobey, Jason Cadee, Mitch McCarron, Cameron Gliddon, Kevin Lisch, Chris Goulding, Damian Martin, Mitch Norton, Anthony Drmic. Forwards: Nick Kay, Todd Blanchfield, Daniel Kickert, David Barlow, Jesse Wagstaff, David Andersen, Craig Moller. Centres: Andrew Bogut, Angus Brandt, Daniel Johnson, Matt Hodgson, Nathan Jawai.
Roy Ward is a Sports writer for The Age.
