Brazil and France await for Boomers
Only a week remains before the Boomers opening pool game of the 2012 London Olympic Games against Brazil, meaning Monday morning’s (AEST) game against the South American powerhouse takes on added significance.
Coming off an impressive two-game series against Gold Medal hopeful Spain, the Boomers will face two more quality opponents in the form of the Brazilians and the highly-talented France.
Australian head coach Brett Brown has confidence his team is capable of matching-
up with the world’s best, praising his squad’s flexibility in overcoming setbacks.
“I think it’s (performances against Spain) recognition we aren’t that far away with all of this,” Brown said.
“I think the group has been impressive. The flexibility, the mobility as a team was confirmed when you saw we had to rotate the group without Aleks Maric and without Matt Nielsen.
“So you had the ability to go to Mark Worthington and David Barlow and they’ve learned multiple positions, while Aron Baynes and David Andersen held the five spot.
“I think the flexibility of the group stood our more than any individual.”
There are still challenges ahead for Boomers with the Brazilian and French squads littered with NBA talent, namely Patty Mills’ San Antonio Spurs teammate, French star Tony Parker.
Coach Brown will be keen to see his team improve in the final stretch of games after seeing Spain get the better of the Boomers on the back of late surges.
“The periods of the game where you really have to execute and know where the ball is going and who it’s going to, just basic things that all teams go through to close out a game,” Brown said.
“And that’s really where we’re at. It’s nothing to do with our defence, nothing to do with our fitness or those things, our focus will really be the execution in the last six minutes of the game.”
The Boomers face Brazil on Monday morning (3:30am AEST) and France on Tuesday morning (3:30am AEST) at the Rhenus Sport arena in Strasbourg.
The match will be broadcast on French TV channel Canal + Sport Direct. Online streaming details will be confirmed closer to the game.
Get all the latest news, results and insights into the Boomers road to London at the BA website (www.basketball.net.au) and don’t forget to like the Boomers on Facebook and follow on Twitter.
