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Australia - Boomers bounce the Chinese



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A youthful Australian men's basketball team defeated China 77-66 in front of a hostile crowd yesterday to remain undefeated after the first two games of its nine-day tour.



Australia, which defeated Croatia in its first game, also will play Italy while on the tour, which is being used as part of the preparation for the FIBA Oceania men's championship against New Zealand in August.



"We were all over them for 40 minutes," Boomers coach Brian Goorjian said.



"The atmosphere was electrifying and given that we have been together for a limited time, I am just so impressed with the way these young guys are going about it.



"The guys didn't back off anybody. They made every possession tough for them and they are playing fearless and for each other."



Perth Wildcats guard Damien Ryan scored a game-high 18 points, including five-of-seven three-point baskets, to lead the Boomers, while Sydney King Mark Worthington added 16 points.



After arriving at the court under police escort, the energetic Boomers started the game well and, on top of strong defensive reads, opened up a solid 21-14 quarter-time lead.



The Boomers continued to play with tenacity and desperation at both ends of the court and extended their lead early to 43-28 by half-time, winning the second quarter 19-14.



After the Boomers pushed the lead to over 20 points early in the third term, the vocal crowd lifted China, which surged late to win the quarter 21-16 and trail 59-49.



The Boomers staved off a number of runs in the last period, with the highlight being Worthington's dunk over former NBA star Whang Zhizhi to seal the 11-point win.

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AUS - Goorjian misses game, Boomers win again



ZHUAI (2007 FIBA Oceania Championship) - The virus plagued Australia Post Boomers registered their fourth win in as many games in Zhuai, China overnight, courageously defeating Croatia 82-79.



Head Coach Brian Goorjian was so ill with a virus he was forced to stay at the team hotel ? the first time in 22 years of coaching and 750 games he was not courtside - with Assistant Coach Gordon MacLeod stepping in.



Perth Wildcats point guard Brad Robbins also missed the game after being struck down by the virus as did New Zealand Breakers forward Oscar Forman who was also suffering from a hamstring injury.



Australia will play games against Croatia, Italy and host nation China whilst on tour.



The Boomers coaching staff will use the tour as part of the preparation for the 2007 FIBA Oceania Men?s Championship between Australia and New Zealand set to take place on August 20, 22 and 24 in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.



Sydney King Mark Worthington continued his impressive tour form, top scoring for the Boomers with 22 points while Kings team-mate Russell Hinder contributed 17 points and South Dragon gun Joe Ingles and Perth Wildcat Alex Loughton added 12 points each in support.



?Croatia has had three games to come up with a game plan to nullify our boys and what we are doing and the pleasing thing was we were still able to get the job done even after we had further hurdles put in front of us,? MacLeod said.



?It was a great effort by the players and support staff and the guys have really got some superb team work going and that really helped.



?One thing we have been able to do is lay the platform with our defence and with the intensity that we are playing we are continuing to produce.



?The thing about tonight was what we achieved as a group. We all combined to get the job done.



?Brian was ecstatic when we got back to the hotel. He was simply over the moon. We keep marching on.?



Both teams struggled to find offensive rhythm in the opening term but on the back of a dogged defensive effort the Boomers managed to edge in front and lead 21-19 at quarter time.



The Boomers pushed ahead on a number of occasions in the second quarter but Croatia managed to regularly rein the margin in, the Boomers winning the term 23-22 to hold a 44-41 halftime lead.



The youthful Boomers started the third term the stronger of the two and continued to increase their lead before Croatia again pinned them back, the Boomers winning the quarter 21-18 to lead 65-59.



Led by a number of big plays from Worthington and a clinch three point basket from Perth Wildcat sweet shooter Damien Ryan, the Boomers managed to stave off a late Croatian surge, recording a gallant 82-79 win.



The Boomers next match is against Italy tonight, Wednesday, June 20, at 9pm AEST.



With Goorjian ill and MacLeod taking over the head coaching role, team manager Nic Mercer stepped into the assistant coaching role.



?Nic did a very good job and every one shouldered the extra responsibility extremely well,? MacLeod said.

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AUS/ITA - Boomers go down by one in final seconds



ZONGSHAN ZHI (National Team) - The Australia Post Boomers were defeated 64-63 by Italy in Zongshan Zhi, China overnight, the first loss of their nine-day tour.



The Italians hit a free throw in the dying seconds of the game to register the one point win which was the Boomers first following four straight wins to start the tour.



Head Coach Brian Goorjian had recovered enough from the effects of a virus to lead the Boomers as did Sydney King Ian Crosswhite and New Zealand Breaker Oscar Forman but Perth Wildcats point guard Brad Robbins was still to ill to take part.



Australia will play games against Croatia, Italy and host nation China whilst on tour.



The Boomers coaching staff will use the tour as part of the preparation for the 2007 FIBA Oceania Championship between Australia and New Zealand set to take place on August 20, 22 and 24 in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.



2006/07 National Basketball League (NBL) Rookie of the Year Joe Ingles top scored for the Boomers with 11 points while Sydney Kings pair Mark Worthington and Luke Kendall contributed 10 points each in support.



"The guys are really digging deep and I am so pleased with the way they are responding to the challenges they keep being presented with," Goorjian said.

"We are going through our processes at the moment, continuing to improve and we keep moving forward.



"With the guys doing what they are doing it makes for a pleasant but unpleasant reality for the coaching staff.



"They have all played awesome basketball and I would rather be in this situation than not.



"We will make some adjustments in training tomorrow to prepare for the final game."



Both teams felt each other out in the opening term and struggled offensively, Italy holding a slender 15-14 quarter time lead.



The Boomers stepped up their defensive intensity in the second quarter and made the Italians work for each point, restricting them to 14 points while scoring 17 of their own to lead 31-29 at halftime.



The Boomers offence clicked into gear in the third term and after capitalising on a number of fast breaks they extended their lead to 52-42 at three quarter time, winning the term 21-13.



A number of missed baskets throughout the final term proved costly for the Boomers who lost the quarter 22-11 to narrowly go down 64-63.



The Boomers final game is against host nation China at 9pm AEST tonight, Thursday June 21.

Australian national team captain Sam Mackinnon will miss Beijing Olympics. 31-year-old has health problems.



Jason Smith is also in doubt.

Quote:The Australia Post Boomers arrived in Canberra on Sunday and underwent a fitness assessment session in the afternoon.



At this morning’s training session the athletes went at it in five-on-five play and the performance was first class.



The afternoon session involved drills and situation-plays and the effort didn't wane for a second.



It’s been a four year effort to get to this point, but now the main event is just weeks away.



Battle of the Bigs



While many pundits have spoken about the strength of the ‘big men’ on the current Boomers roster, final spots certainly remain open and it’s the 1’s that have descended on Canberra in force.



There’s the class of reigning NBL MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Chris Anstey, who is back in the green and gold after a long absence and playing a leading role in camp.



There’s returning Oceania Champion Wade Helliwell, rocking a long-haired look on arrival from Italy and regularly rocking the rims at the AIS Training Hall courts from the first session onward.



There’s former Emus Matthew Knight and A.J. Ogilvy, balling with a determination befitting young hopefuls and raising expectations and eyebrows with their commitment.



And there’s big Luke Schenscher, fighting to show the coaching staff that he can overcome the injury problems he has suffered over the past 12 months to contribute something great.



Add Andrew Bogut and David Andersen into the big man mix and you see that the competition for centre spots is fierce. Does head coach Brian Goorjian take three or four centres to Beijing? Maybe Andersen is the 4-man? It’s a battle up there.



CJ on ice



Two days before camp began, Athens Olympian C.J. Bruton rolled his ankle playing in the ABA. The timing could not have been worse.



C.J. was unable to participate in Sunday’s fitness testing and Monday’s morning training session was again spent on the bike. He’s working hard with Strength and Conditioning Assistant Coach Nik Popovic and in conjunction with the medical staff his condition will be assessed daily with the hope of getting him on court.



Oceania Champion Patty Mills is also back in the green and gold. He registered the equal-second quickest time in Sunday’s 20 metre sprint test (2.94 seconds alongside Joe Ingles, with James Harvey the fastest at 2.92 seconds) and is bringing 100 percent effort to every session.



Pat’s Oceania Champion team mate Darnell Mee has turned up to camp in better condition than he’s been in for nine months in a clear indication that he has been working extremely hard in North Queensland. He was big in the Oceania series and he has put himself back on the radar.



Adam Gibson has worked hard in the gym in the off season and performed well across the sprint test, jump test and endurance test on the camp’s opening day. He’s knocking down shots in the scrimmages too and going hard up the floor.



Most coaches would normally take three point guards to a tournament. Some say two. Can you pick them? Don’t forget to throw in Luke Kendall, who can play both the point and the 2-spot.



Who’s the 2?



That’s the beauty of Luke Kendall. He can run the floor, knock down long bombs in his sleep and also drive to the hole with success. He was in the Oceania Championship team and he’s come to play.



Then there’s James Harvey, who reportedly has been shooting 1000 shots a day and going hard against former Boomer Shane Heal on the Gold Coast. It’s pretty obvious when you see him play. Sharp.



Want to know more? Which 2-guard did well on the repeated jump test, had good skin fold levels, ranked second in the 20m sprint and won the endurance test? That would be Joe Ingles, whose work on the NBA fringe has done him very well indeed.



Another ‘2’ in peak physical condition is Peter Crawford. He’s an outside chance getting close to an inside chance with every shot he drops and hustle play he makes.



With the shock withdrawal of two-time Olympian Jason Smith due to a shoulder injury, the 2-spot is arguably wide open. Brad Newley dropped 25 points overnight to win a finals game for his Serie A team in Italy and Damien Ryan has been performing well in the same country. Both players will return to the Boomers squad for the next camp in Perth.



Swing it, man



When you look at the 2-3 swingmen and 3-4 swingmen on offer, you enter the world of ‘what to do?’ Go small, go big, go faster, go stronger – there are a lot of possibilities.



Mark Worthington is on the bigger end of the swing man set and can score in the post or knock down a shot from anywhere on the floor. He was big for Australia in the Oceania Championship, huge in this season’s NBL and he’s a leader.



Then there’s Glen Saville, who’s all class on the floor but even more important off it, with the leadership of two former captains in Sam Mackinnon and Jason Smith sadly missing. Plus he knows Goorjian’s system like the back of his hand.



David Barlow is a 2006 World Championship player coming off a stellar NBL Championship-winning season. He’s in phenomenal shape and when he lights up he can score at will on anyone. A former King, he knows Goorjian’s system too.



Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Jacob Holmes said sayonara to the Dragons and is headed to the ‘Sixers but his focus is obviously on the Boomers first. He’s in good shape and has come to play, working every possession like the game is on the line.



Add Matt Nielsen into this swingin’ set and you see how crowded it is. Good position to be in, though. No complaints there.



Door on the 4



The Boomers’ newest Australian Shawn Redhage arrived from the West in tip-top shape and has impressed from the get-go, while his Wildcats team-mate Alex Loughton has been good in the paint and is showing that he deserves his shot at the green and gold.



Russell Hinder has been a vocal leader at camp and has made a bunch of great plays that have drawn attention. An Oceania Championship team member and former player under Goorjian, his knowledge of the system is supreme.



Then there’s NBL Rookie of the Year Nathan Jawai, doing his thing in the NBA and drawing accolades in the United States. Who has their hand on the door to the 4? You decide.



Da Brains



Head Coach Brian Goorjian has assembled the same support staff that won him the 2007 FIBA Oceania Championship. Blaze head coach Brendan Joyce and Slingers head coach Gordon McLeod are back as assistant coaches and new Dragon Nik Popovic is strength and conditioning assistant coach. World class physio Steve Evans is in camp, Howard Parkinson is working the video and omnipotent operations manager Nic Mercer is holding the whole thing together.



Add to that mix the class of Brian Goorjian’s “best basketball friend”, former Denver Nuggets assistant coach and current University of Arizona head coach Mike Dunlap, who has joined the camp in an advisory role, and da brains is plenty brainy enough.

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Quote:AUS - Boomers squad selected for Iran series



SYDNEY (Friendly Games) - Following the conclusion of a five day training camp at the AIS in Canberra, Basketball Australia is pleased to announce the 17 athletes selected to represent the Australia Post Boomers for five international matches in June.



Twenty athletes now remain in the squad for 12 Olympic berths, with the final team to be named by July 2nd.



Andrew Bogut awaits contract negotiations in the United States, David Andersen will enjoy a brief rest after returning from a grueling season in Russia while Nathan Jawai is fighting hard to keep his NBA dream alive and may not be back in Australia in time for selection.



"It was a good camp and no one did poorly," Boomers head coach Brian Goorjian said.



"A lot of the decisions were positional and they were tough calls but we all agreed on what had to be done.



"The players we released have contributed to the road ahead and we are appreciative of the efforts they have made.



"It was a positive, intense, aggressive camp and now it's on to Perth and we're looking forward to playing some games."



Peter Crawford (Perth Wildcats), Adam Gibson (Brisbane Bullets), Jacob Holmes (South Dragons), Matthew Knight (West Sydney Razorbacks), Alex Loughton (Perth Wildcats) and Luke Schenscher (Brose Basket, Germany) were the athletes shaved from the squad.



Europe-based stars Matt Nielsen, Brad Newley and Damien Ryan were unable to attend the AIS training camp but will join the Boomers in Perth.



The Boomers arrive in Perth on Tuesday (June 10) and play the first game of the 'Boomers World Challenge' against Iran on Monday June 16 at Challenge Stadium at 7:00pm.



Then it's on to Adelaide for game two (Distinctive Homes Dome on Wednesday June 18 at 7:30pm) and Melbourne for game three (State Netball Hockey Centre on Friday June 20 at 7:30pm).



The Boomers then head to Auckland to face the New Zealand Tall Blacks (North Shore Events Centre on Thursday June 26 at 7:30pm) before returning to 'The Cage' in Melbourne to play the second of two games for the Al Ramsay Shield (State Netball Hockey Centre on Saturday June 28 at 5:00pm).



A tour to Europe follows, with the Boomers departing Australia on Sunday June 29 for games in Croatia against Angola and the host nation and a tournament in Greece for games against Brazil, Croatia and the host nation.









The Australia Post Boomers squad for June:

(name, position, height, last club played with)



Chris ANSTEY / Centre / 213cm / Melbourne Tigers

David BARLOW / Guard / 205cm / Melbourne Tigers

CJ BRUTON / Guard / 188cm / Brisbane Bullets

James HARVEY / Guard / 196cm / Gold Coast Blaze

Wade HELLIWELL / Centre / 213cm / Nuova Sebastiani (Italy)

Russell HINDER /Forward / 208cm / Sydney Kings

Joe INGLES / Guard / 203cm / South Dragons

Luke KENDALL / Guard / 193cm / Sydney Kings

Darnell MEE / Guard / 198cm / Cairns Taipans

Patrick MILLS / Guard / 181cm / St. Mary's College Gaels (USA)

Brad NEWLEY / Guard / 198cm / Panionios (Greece)

Matthew NIELSEN / Forward / 209cm / Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania)

Andrew OGILVY / Centre / 210cm / Vanderbilt University Commodores (USA)

Shawn REDHAGE / Forward / 203cm / Perth Wildcats

Damien RYAN / Guard / 193cm / Gruppo Triboldi (Italy)

Glen SAVILLE / Guard / 197cm / Sydney Kings

Mark WORTHINGTON / Forward / 202cm / Sydney Kings

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Final squad of Australia:



David Andersen / Forward/Centre / 212cm

Chris Anstey / Centre / 213cm

David Barlow / Guard/Forward / 205cm

Andrew Bogut / Centre / 213cm

CJ Bruton / Guard / 188cm

Joe Ingles / Guard / 203cm

Patrick Mills / Guard / 181cm

Brad Newley / Guard / 198cm

Matthew Nielsen / Forward / 209cm

Shawn Redhage / Forward / 202cm

Glen Saville / Guard/Forward / 197cm

Mark Worthington / Forward / 202cm