Boomers team selected for tour of South America

Five athletes will make their Boomers debut on the six game tour after Basketball Australia selected its side on Sunday afternoon.

The inclusion of Beijing Olympians David Barlow and Joe Ingles bolsters the side which contains two teenage debutants at the point guard position, Matthew Dellavedova and Jason Cadee.

Dellavedova, who captained the Australian U19 team at the FIBA U19 World Championship in New Zealand this month with Cadee his guard partner, will back up 2009 NBL Championship winner and Defensive player of the Year Adam Gibson.

Cairns product Aron Baynes will also make his Boomers debut in Argentina, almost ending speculation that the New Zealand born power forward might suit up for the Tall Blacks. Until he plays a FIBA event (like Australia v New Zealand on August 23 in Sydney for the FIBA Oceania Championship) he remains eligible to play for New Zealand.

After an illustrious four year sojourn at the University of Utah in the United States, 216cm West Australian centre Luke Nevill was rewarded for a strong camp and will make his debut alongside the final debutante, 2009 NBL Championship winning centre Matt Burston.

“This was always going to be an inexperienced side because we’re looking at the big picture for London 2012,” Boomers head coach Brett Brown said.

“All the debutants have trained very well, there’s no shortage of talent, and we’re excited to give them a chance.”

Gold Coast Blaze guard James Harvey, who captained the Boomers on a two game tour of China in late June, was a late withdrawal from the touring side after he tore his left quadriceps at training on Saturday.

Teenage star Brock Motum’s touring dreams were also dashed close to the conclusion of the camp when he who tore a calf muscle at training today.

Beijing Olympians Matt Nielsen, Andrew Bogut, David Andersen, CJ Bruton, Patty Mills and Mark Worthington were unavailable for the tour.

The tour is part of the Boomers’ preparation for the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championship against New Zealand, tipping off on August 23 in Sydney, where World Championship seeding is on the line.

Australia will play Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay two times apiece on tour in Argentina and Brazil before returning home on August 10.

Australia’s men’s basketball team for South American tour:

David BARLOW / Melbourne Tigers / Sandringham Sabres / 25 / 205cm
Aron BAYNES / Washington State University (USA) / Cairns, QLD / 22 / 208cm
Matt BURSTON / Adelaide 36ers / Perry Lakes, WA / 26 / 210cm
Jason CADEE / Australian Institute of Sport / Bankstown, NSW / 18 / 185cm
Peter CRAWFORD / Townsville Crocodiles / Mt. Isa, QLD / 29 / 193cm
Matthew DELLAVEDOVA / Australian Institute of Sport / Maryborough, VIC / 18 / 189cm
Oscar FORMAN / New Zealand Breakers (NZ) / Sturt, SA / 27 / 206cm
Adam GIBSON / Gold Coast Blaze / Launceston, TAS / 22 / 188cm
Joe INGLES / South Dragons / Southern Tigers / 21 / 203cm
Nathan JAWAI / Dallas Mavericks (USA) / Cairns, QLD / 22 / 208cm
Luke NEVILL / University of Utah (USA) / Stirling, WA / 23 / 216cm
Stephen WEIGH / Perth Wildcats / Rockhampton, QLD / 22 / 202cm


BOOMERS 2009 PROGRAM KEY DATES AT A GLANCE:

June 19-23     - Camp 1 – Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra ACT
June 26- Jul 1 - Tour to China (AUS v CHN: 2 games)
July 22-27      - Camp 2 – Sydney, NSW
July 30–Aug 4 - Tournament in Argentina (AUS v Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina: 3 games)
Aug 6-10       - Tournament in Brazil (AUS v Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina: 3 games)
Aug 18-22      - Camp 3 – Sydney, NSW
Aug 23           - FIBA Oceania Championship Game 1, AUS v NZ, Sydney
                    (Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre, Tickets at Ticketek.com.au)
Aug 25           - FIBA Oceania Championship Game 2, AUS v NZ, Wellington
Aug 28-31      - Stankovic Cup, Kunshan, China (AUS v Turkey, Angola, China: 4 games)