ANON12
Years ago
Boomers need to be more committed
The following article appears on the NBL website. If Goorjian believes that the Boomers can get a medal at the Olympics then he I think he needs professional help with his mental state. He says that the players need to be committed then he needs to make tough decisions. My info is that Anstey is too ?injured (heart muscle) to play now but has made himself available for the Olympics. How committed is that.
Anyway, read the article and then have your say.
Australia coach Brian Goorjian has told the Australian Associated Press that the nation's top basketballers need to be more committed to the national cause if the team is to win a medal at next year's Beijing Olympics.
Goorjian said the team could only secure the best Olympic result "if everybody puts their hand up", according to AAP.
The Boomers will play eight practice matches in two weeks while in Europe to prepare for next month's Olympic qualifying series against New Zealand. They will play Austria, Turkey, Serbia, Croatia, Italy and Senegal.
To automatically qualify for Beijing, Australia must win the Oceania Men's Championship which will be played in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in late August.
The loser faces a cutthroat tournament in Europe just prior to the Olympics.
"We are capable of medalling if everybody puts their hand up and they get together before we go to Beijing," Goorjian said.
"I was hopeful it would happen for this (the Oceania championship)."
"I mean everything's at stake."
"(But) you make the statement and then the ball's in their (the players) court."
"In order to medal, if we get past this (New Zealand) ... we're going to need the 12 best players here fully committed."
Due to injury, Andrew Bogut, Matt Nielsen, Chris Anstey and CJ Bruton, will be out for the Oceania series.
However, Brad Newly who tore ligaments in his left ankle at training camp on the Gold Coast last week, was still named to the 14-man squad to face New Zealand.
David Andersen, described as a "Euroleague icon" by Goorjian, has no worries the 14 players selected can defeat New Zealand and then medal at Beijing "if we get our full squad together."
"The guys who couldn't come due to injuries or other issues, it's on their shoulders," Andersen told AAP at Sydney Airport.
"But I mean everyone understands also that you have professional commitments to your teams and you must be in good shape to go back to your club team."
Veteran Sam Mackinnon said he was "very confident" the Boomers could beat the Tall Blacks.
"It would have been great if Boags (Bogut) and Niely (Nielsen) and those guys were here but they've got other commitments and are trying to get their bodies right," Mackinnon said.
"We've got the guys who are here and they're all committed."
"That's the most important thing."
When asked if Australia could medal at Beijing, which will be MacKinnon's last Games, he replied "I've no doubt about that."
The Boomers will train and play in Italy until August 7 and then they're off to Turkey where they will stay until returning home on August 13.
The Oceania championship matches will be played on August 20, 22 and 24.
