The Boomers’ Olympic bronze medal-winning effort has them within the World Cup crosshairs and ahead Nick Kay would not have it every other approach.
Former Perth Wildcat Kay will lead a Boomers workforce lacking their greatest names in World Cup qualifiers in opposition to Bahrain and Kazakhstan in Melbourne on Thursday and Sunday this week.
Australia have already certified for the match, to be break up between Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia in August-September this yr.
But the Japan-based ahead will take the possibility to strengthen his worth to the squad after impressing on the 2019 World Cup and Tokyo’s 2021 historic marketing campaign.
Kay was a shock packet at China’s World Cup, the aspect coasting into the ultimate 4 earlier than coughing up large leads within the semi-final and bronze-medal recreation to make sure the watch for a maiden worldwide medal stretched on.
But their Tokyo bronze addressed that hoodoo and the aspect has strengthened on paper since with Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels, Jock Landale and Josh Green all flourishing within the NBA.
Jack White might additionally push Kay for a spot within the remaining 12-man squad, whereas a knee damage stored freshly minted NBL MVP Xavier Cooks out of the final World Cup.
European NBA stars Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Nikola Jokic (Serbia) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) have all been dedicated to qualification efforts whereas rising phenomenon Victor Wembanyama has indicated he is eager to strengthen France’s title-contending workforce.
But Kay is aware of Australia’s threats cannot be ignored.
“There’s such a focus on winning that gold by so many countries but we don’t have that underdog status anymore, there’s a target on our back,” he stated.
“I don’t know if it’s a different feeling (internally) though.
“We have that ‘gold vibes solely’ standing, have had that expectation for a very long time and it is now simply that recognition a bit extra from others.
“We want to be able to go out there and say we’re the best team in the world.”
The remaining qualification window occupies an ungainly spot on Australia’s basketball calendar, with gamers from New Zealand and Sydney not that includes as they wait to contest the NBL grand remaining collection.
Off-contract Kay and fellow Japan-based Rhys Vague will play although, whereas Olympian Nathan Sobey could make his World Cup case and Mason Peatling and Nick Marshall will debut.
Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman will lead the aspect with Brian Goorjian dedicated to Hong Kong’s Bay Area Dragons within the inaugural East Asia Super League season.
BOOMERS SQUAD: Mitch McCarron, Mitch Norton, Nathan Sobey, Kyle Adnam, Nick Marshall, Daniel Grida, Todd Blanchfield, Alex Toohey, Rhys Vague, Mason Peatling, Isaac Humphries, Nick Kay.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
