2009 FIBA Oceania Championships

[donmar]

Small countries in Oceania just doesn't have the financial capabilities to maintain their national basketball teams.. and most of the Pacific Island countries prefer football (Solomon Islands) or rugby league (Papua New Guinea) or rugby union (Fiji, Samoa, Tonga) than basketball... and I think FIBA doesn't see any financial benefits from those countries... so they're pretty much content of Australia and New Zealand as the only competitors in Oceania...

[b3lowzro]

hmm I guess fiba should do something for this even if those countries are rugby die hard fans

[donmar]

Yup only Australia and New Zealand in a two-game series... sometimes its three-game series... last time they have a third team was with Fiji...

This championship is just for the seeding for next year's World Championship... since both already qualified... but this is not about next year's World Champs... its about the Trans-Tasman rivalry between the Aussies and the Kiwis... regardless of sports codes... these two countries will fight for pride and Trans-Tasman superiority...

Australia is the favourites in my opinion... with NBL calibers in their line-up but the Kiwis has the NBL MVP... either way, I got no problem who finish on top... I'm a big fan of the NBL and this is pretty much an all-star game for me...

[Dtown]

no Papua New Guinea or other small countries here?

Nope, 5th straight tournament where it's just the two teams. To my knowledge there's never been a tourney with 4 or more teams.

[b3lowzro]

no Papua New Guinea or other small countries here?

[donmar]

Go the Tall Blacks!!!

[Saskibaloia]

Boomers squad named
Fri, 14 Aug 2009 2:05 PM
By Basketball Australia

Australia’s men’s basketball team will undergo a training camp at The Kings School in Parramatta next week to prepare for the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championship against New Zealand.

The Boomers will play the Tall Blacks at 6:00pm on Sunday August 23 at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre before heading to Wellington for the second and final match on August 25 to determine seeding at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.

Australia’s squad has been strengthened by the return of Olympian Brad Newley, who together with his Beijing team mates Joe Ingles and Mark Worthington will form the experienced core of the team.

Dallas Mavericks power forward Nathan Jawai provides a formidable inside presence while Sudanese-born Australian Ater Majok will experience his first taste of Boomers culture after his first national call up.

Majok, a 208cm refugee from Sudan who lived in Egypt before moving to Australia with his family in 2000, will suit up for the University of Connecticut in the United States later this year.

Boomers Head Coach Brett Brown will select the Boomers team to take on New Zealand after the conclusion of the camp.

“Everything we have done so far in the 2009 program comes down to this series against New Zealand,” Brown said.

“We have gotten progressively better during our tours of China and South America but the Kiwis have announced an experienced team and we’ll have to be ready.”

Tickets for the Sydney match are still available through Ticketek or the Basketball Australia website, www.basketball.net.au

Australian Boomers squad for Sydney Camp Aug 18-22

Name / Most recent college or pro team / Junior Association / Age / Height

Aron BAYNES / Washington State University (USA) / Cairns, QLD / 22 / 208cm
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
James HARVEY / Gold Coast Blaze / Perry Lakes, WA / 30 / 196cm
Joe INGLES / CB Granada (Spain) / Southern, SA / 21 / 203cm
Nathan JAWAI / Dallas Mavericks (NBA - USA) / Cairns, QLD / 22 / 208cm
Ater MAJOK / University of Connecticut (NCAA - USA) / Macarthur, NSW / 22 / 208cm
Aleks MARIC / KK Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) / North Sydney, NSW / 24 / 211cm
Damian MARTIN / Sydney Spirit / Gloucester, NSW / 24 / 188cm
Brad NEWLEY / Besiktas (Turkey) / Forestville, SA / 24 / 199cm
Luke NEVILL / University of Utah (NCAA - USA) / Stirling, WA / 23 / 218cm
A.J. OGILVY / Vanderbilt University (NCAA - USA) / Hills, NSW / 21 / 210cm
Liam RUSH / Sundsvall Dragons (Sweden) / Broome, QLD / 27 / 198cm
Stephen WEIGH / Perth Wildcats / Rockhampton, QLD / 22 / 202cm
Mark WORTHINGTON / Melbourne Tigers / Bunbury, WA / 26 / 202cm

Average age: 23 years 5 months
Average height: 200cm (6’6”)

Head Coach: Brett Brown (San Antonio Spurs, NBA - USA)
Assistant Coach: Andrej Lemanis (New Zealand Breakers)
Assistant Coach: Shane Heal
Assistant Coach: Marty Clarke (Australian Institute of Sport)
Manager: Nic Mercer

BOOMERS KEY DATES AT A GLANCE:

Aug 18-22 Camp 3 – Sydney, NSW
Aug 23 FIBA Oceania Championship Game 1, AUS v NZ, Sydney
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)

The Aussies have been quick in selecting their squad.

GO AUSTRALIA!!!!