WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS MUST BE GOOD

 BASKETBALL'S DO OR DIE!

A highly anticipated NBL season could be heightened even further if the 12 players listed below can put up an almighty performance at the World Championships in Turkey. Is this the right team to carry Australian Basketball back to the glory days? 

I have a really good feeling about this group. The loss of Bogut was huge. If they throw him in this mix than we stand a big chance. Many of the boys chosen have all now had European experience and understand their style of play better than 4 years ago.

Australia is slowly catching up on the world, we are starting to infiltrate the European leagues. I don't know how happy the Europeans are about that but they are going to have to deal with it. With Anderson and Mills gaining NBA experience throughout last season, the Aussies will have a few go to guys when the game is on the line. 

This World Championships is wide open. The Americans haven't fielded a great team at all. I strongly feel that they will not win the competition. The Spaniards will definitely be strong but the loss of Pau Gasol hurts them. If you take them out of the equation the Aussies can make a push for a top 4 spot. In a one off game anything can happen and we all know that Aussies love being the underdogs. 

I just can't see basketball taking off if we don't do well in this tournament. The newspapers will be filled with bad press and that's exactly what the NBL doesn't need only a month from tip off. If the results are good, basketball and non basketball fans will want to catch a game during the NBL season. With ONEHD covering the season, AND1 the new clothing sponsor and Spalding getting back on board, things are looking good for the NBL. 

I really hope the boys do us proud in Turkey, for Basketball Australia and for the NBL's sake. Could 2010 be the year Australian Basketball comes back to life? 

Golden Star Australian Boomers – 2010 FIBA World Championship Team

David ANDERSEN / 212cm / 30 / Centre / Toronto Raptors (NBA) / Frankston Blues (VIC)
David BARLOW / 205cm / 26 / Forward / CAI Zaragoza (Spain) / Sandringham (VIC)
Aron BAYNES / 207cm / 23 / Centre / EWE Baskets Oldenburg (Germany) / Cairns (QLD)
Adam GIBSON / 188cm / 23 / Guard / Gold Coast Blaze / Launceston (TAS)
Joe INGLES / 203cm / 22 / Forward / CB Granada (Spain) / Southern (SA)
Steven MARKOVIC / 190cm / 25 / Guard / KK Crvena Zvezda Beograd (Serbia) / Bankstown (NSW)
Aleks MARIC / 210cm / 25 / Centre / Panathinaikos (Greece) / North Sydney (NSW)
Damian MARTIN / 188cm / 25 / Guard / Perth Wildcats / Gloucester (NSW)
Patrick MILLS / 183cm / 21 / Guard / Portland Trail Blazers (NBA) / Shadows (ACT)
Brad NEWLEY / 198cm / 25 / Guard / Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania) / Forestville (SA)
Matthew NIELSEN / 209cm / 32 / Forward / Olympiacos (Greece) / Penrith (NSW)
Mark WORTHINGTON / 202cm / 27 / Forward / Brose Baskets (Germany) / Bunbury (WA) 

Boomers 2010 International Schedule

28 August            FIBA World Championship           Jordan                  Kayseri, Turkey
29 August            FIBA World Championship           Argentina            Kayseri, Turkey
30 August            FIBA World Championship           Germany             Kayseri, Turkey
1 September       FIBA World Championship           Serbia                   Kayseri, Turkey
2 September       FIBA World Championship           Angola                  Kayseri, Turkey