Game Day with the Boomers: An insight
The sun rises over another picture-perfect day in sunny southern Spain, the inland city of Granada to be exact, where the Boomers are entering the final phase of preparations for the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Today we follow the journey of the players as they prepare for the Game 1 of the two-game stanza against European Champions and Gold Medal hopeful, Spain.
While an international basketball game may only go for 40 minutes game day is an all-encompassing and all-absorbing affair, with the players and staff frantically preparing for the night’s main event.
9:30am BREAKFAST: After head coach Brett Brown put the players through a taxing two-hour session the evening prior the players enjoy a later start this morning.
The players were greeted by a great spread of toasts, cereals, eggs, fresh fruit and yogurt. Exactly the type of fuel needed for the day ahead.
9:50am VIDEO SESSION: It was a case of if you’re late you might miss out on the food as there wasn’t time to muck around with Brown whisking the players away for a 20-minute video session straight after breakfast.
This is the real nuts and bolts of the game of basketball. Intense analysis of game styles, patterns and situations.
10:10am SHOOTAROUND: From the video screen it’s straight on the bus to the Gagus Palacio arena in Granada. Here with only a small window to work the players before the home team arrives, Coach Brown wastes no time getting his troops moving.
The medical and fitness staff get the players ready and firing and Brown quickly has them on the move, running players at high intensity. For the players it’s strictly business with plenty of talk and demanding of high standards.
Moving into shooting drills the likes of Townsville Crocodile Peter Crawford and David Barlow lighting it up from three-point land, while the bigs are showing range, with Matt Nielsen and Aleks Maric showing of their strokes.
After a light-hearted half-court shot challenge it’s a warm down then back on the bus to the team hotel.
12:30pm LUNCH: Time to refuel after shootaround with plenty of energy food on the menu, with fish, chicken, beef, rice and pasta accompanied by a fully-stocked salad bar. Finishing off with plenty of fruit and yogurt to wash it all down, the players now enjoy some pre-match relaxation.
1.30pm REST AND RECOVER: This is the time the players can use to prepare themselves before the team bus heads to the stadium. Some players chose to go to the hotel pool and complete a water session, others hit the massage table and get a rubdown.
This is a time where the players can do their own thing and begin to get themselves tuned in to the challenge ahead in the form of Spain.
5.30pm LUGGAGE PULL AND PRE-GAME SNACK: With the team scheduled to travel from the Granada Stadium to the hotel in Malaga some 90 minutes away after the game, the players get all their luggage together before heading down to the dining hall for a last-chance fuel stop.
6:30pm DEPART FOR GAME: This is the point where the players know it’s game time. As they leave the hotel crowds of Spanish fans wait for their national heroes to come through, although some of the Boomers can’t escape the picture requests of fans who recognise them from Spanish and Euroleague competition.
Current Valencia star Brad Newley and Regal FC Barcelona’s Joe Ingles draw plenty of attention, while former Valencia player Matt Nielsen isn’t without his admirers.
Look out for Game Day Insight Part 2.
For all the latest news, results, features, player interviews and much more visit the BA website at www.basketball.net.au and stay update with all the Boomers latest on Facebook (www.facebook.com/aussieboomers) and Twitter (@aussieboomers)
