Boomers name Oceania squad

Today the Australian Boomers head coach Andrej Lemanis announced 12 players who will contest the 2015 Oceania olympic qualifying series! The Aussies currently have 7 players who ply their trade in the NBA and four of those players have made themselves available for the series, including recent crowned NBA champion Andrew Bogut and Cleveland cult hero Matthew Dellavedova, rounded off with Dante Exum of the Utah Jazz and Cameron Bairstow, probably not a well known name for kiwi basketball fans but played his rookie season for the Bulls last year.

The three NBA players missing are Aron Baynes, who has recently inked a pretty handy 3 year deal with the Pistons, who from what I can gather has recently had ankle surgery. Utah Jazz swingman Joe Ingles is taking a little time off. Finally Patty Mills of the Spurs has recently been ruled out of the European part of the Boomers build up, possibly because of problems with his recently operated on shoulder. Because of his inability to participate in the whole campaign Andrej Lemanis didn't name him in the 12.

Thats obviously three pretty big losses! Players who have been part of the Boomers for years, but the squad still has a lot of fire power including European based and former NBA players Nathan Jawai and David Anderson, European based guards/swingmen Brad Newley and Ryan Broekhoff and last but not least some names Breakers fans will be quite familiar with, Adam Gibson, Damian Martin, Brook Motum and Chris Goulding.

Its not quite a full strength squad but will still be tough! Im never going to bet against the Tall Blacks though...As usual, they will go into the series as under dogs, but the TBs have a habit of punching above their weight and it should prove to be a very competitive and entertaining series, especially if our own NBA player Steven Adams gets the all clear to play...CC Billy Donovan 

Tall Blacks - Tom Abercrombie, Duane Bailey, Everard Bartlett, Isaac Fotu, Leon Henry, Shea Ili, Jarrod Kenny, Rob Loe, Dion Prewster, Lindsay Tait, Reuben Te Rangi, Mika Vukona, Corey Webster, Tai Wynyard (subject to change depending on Adams availability)

Boomers - David Anderson, Cameron Bairstow, Andrew Bogut, Ryan Broekhoff, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Adam Gibson, Chris Goulding, Nathan Jawai, Damian Martin, Brock Motum, Brad Newley.

AP