Basketball Boomers

[Hills]

Congratulations to Joe Ingles from Happy Valley for making the selection for the Beijing olympics this year. Do us proud Jingels and we all hope you make it to the NBA!

[Brock Landers]

Congratulations to Joe Ingles from Happy Valley for making the selection for the Beijing olympics this year. Do us proud Jingels and we all hope you make it to the NBA!

How do you think the Boomers will go this time round Hills?

[Tassie Blues]

They are in the toughest group having Argentina (Athens Gold medallists and world number 2), Russia (European Champions) and Lithuania (world number 5) and a yet to be determined team (most likely Brazil, Greece or Croatia) the only easy beats in there group is Iran. They will need to win 3-4 games out of the 5 I would think.

Top 4 go through to the quarter finals but if Australia finish 4th in group A they play the 1st placed team in group B and that will without doubt be the USA. Spain is also in Group B and raining world champions but I cant see them beating the USA.

[Tassie Blues]

Boomer now also have Croatia in there group will be a very good result if they make it past the 1st round. It is the Olympics and anything could happen.

[Hills]

Congratulations to Joe Ingles from Happy Valley for making the selection for the Beijing olympics this year. Do us proud Jingels and we all hope you make it to the NBA!

How do you think the Boomers will go this time round Hills?

i havent really been interested in the basketball or any olympics for that matter!

I hope Jingles rips it up tho!

[stan]

They are in the toughest group having Argentina (Athens Gold medallists and world number 2), Russia (European Champions) and Lithuania (world number 5) and a yet to be determined team (most likely Brazil, Greece or Croatia) the only easy beats in there group is Iran. They will need to win 3-4 games out of the 5 I would think.

Top 4 go through to the quarter finals but if Australia finish 4th in group A they play the 1st placed team in group B and that will without doubt be the USA. Spain is also in Group B and raining world champions but I cant see them beating the USA.

I still remember a few olympics ago watching an Argentinian team take on the US. And at this stage the USA were great. Probably a while ago now but it was a great game. From then on I have really had respect for the Argentina's basketball team, like there soccor they have alot of passion and ability.

[Thiele]

How do we think the Opals are going to go

[NFC]

Well the Opals have two games against Brazil coming up so we will get a decent idea of how they're going to fare. IMO they will win Gold, but the US of course are looking very strong.

As for the Boomers, I am expecting big things from them. We won't win a medal but this squad is the best we've ever had and has so much potential. We have great big men in Bogut, Anderson, Anstey and Nielson as well as having some top young talent in Ingles, Newley, Mills and my man, David Barlow. I'm very much liking the look of the squad and I will follow their progress very closely.

[brod]

GROUP A
Argentina (World Ranking 2)
Australia (e9)
Croatia (20)
Iran (33)
Lithuania (5)
Russia (16)

GROUP B
Angola (14)
China (11)
Germany (e9)
Greece (6)
Spain (3)
USA (1)

The top four sides from each group proceed to the quarter finals.

How the nations made it to Bejing

CHINA Host country
SPAIN 2006 FIBA World Champion
ANGOLA African Champion
USA & ARGENTINA Americas Champion & Runner up
IRAN Asian Champion
RUSSIA & LITHUANIA European Champion & Runner up
AUSTRALIA Oceanian Champion
GERMANY, GREECE & CRAOTIA FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament Winner, Runner up, 3rd Place

[brod]

GROUP A

Argentina
4 Antonio PORTA (G, 6'2") Spartak Saint Petersburg (Russia)
5 Emuanel GINOBILI (G, 6'5") San Antonio Spurs (USA)
6 Roma GONZALEZ (C, 6'11") Penarol (Agrentina)
7 Fabricio OBERTO (C, 6'10") San Antonio Spurs (USA)
10 Leonardo GUTIRREZ (F, 6'7") Atenas (Argentina)
11 Luis SCOLA (F, 6'8") Houston Rockets (USA)
12 Juan GUTIERREZ (C, 6'9")
13 Andres NOCIONI (F, 6'7") Chicago Bulls (USA)
14 Paolo QUINTEROS (G, 6'2") Zaragoza (Spain)
Carlos DELFINO (G/F, 6'7") Toronto Raptors (NBA)
Frederico KAMMERICHIS (F, 6'9") Polaris World Murcia (Spain)
Pablo PRIGIONI (G, 6'1") Tau Vitoria (Spain)

Argentina have had a very unsettled preperation for the Olympics with major injury concerns to stars, Ginobili, Oberto, Delfino and Gutierrez. In recent warm up games they have played Spain, losing both contests (88-90) and (62-87)

Australia
6 Andrew BOGUT (C, 7'0") Milwaukee Bucks (USA)
9 Chris ANSTEY (C, 7'0") Melbourne Tigers (Australia)
10 CJ Bruton (G, 6'2") Brisbane Bullets (Australia)
12 Glenn SAVILLE (F, 6'6")
13 David ANDERSEN (F/C, 6'11") CSKA Mascow (Russia)
14 Matthew NIELSEN (F, 6'10") Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania)
David BARLOW (F, 6'9") Melbourne Tigers (Australia)
Joe INGLES (G, 6'8") Southern Dragons (Australia)
Patrick MILLS (G, 5'11") St Mary's College (USA)
Brad NEWLEY (G, 6'6") Paninios (Greece)
Shawn REDHAGE (F, 6'8") Perth Wildcats (Australia)
Mark WORTHINGTON (F, 6'8")

In recent warm up games Australia have beaten Croatia (78-74) and lost to them twice (81-82) & (69-71), lost to Greece (69-89) and defeated Brazil (89-84). Prior to this tour of Europe, the Boomers have swept series against New Zealand and Iran in Australia. Australia will be captained by Matt Neilsen who to avoid missing the Games (as he missed the 2006 World Cahmpionships) paid a significant portion of his insurance to his Lithuanian club side.

[MightyEagles]

What does e9 mean?

[magpie in the 80's]

What does e9 mean?

I'D SAY EQUAL 9TH ME

[brod]

What does e9 mean?

I'D SAY EQUAL 9TH ME

You'd be right too!!

[Dissident]

I'm not sold on Barlow and Worthington at all.

I like Patrick Mills - he'll do well.

[Tassie Blues]

The Boomers beat China 67-55 in pre games match in China

[brod]

GROUP A

Croatia
Nikola PRACIN (F, 6'10") Dynamo Moscow (Russia)
Sandro NICEVIC (C, 6'11") Besiktas JK Istanbul (Turkey)
Marko BANIC (F, 6'8")
Stanko BARAC (C, 7'1") Pamesa Valencia BC SAD (Spain)
Davor KUS (G, 6'3") Unicaja Malaga (Spain)
Kresimir LONCAR (C, 6'11") Lokomotiv Rostov (Russia)
Damir MARKOTA (F, 6'10") Spartak Saint Petersburg (Russia)
Zoran PLANINIC (G, 6'6") Tau Ceramica (Spain)
Marko POPVIC (G, 6'1") BC Zalgiris Kaunas (Lituania)
Marin ROZIC (F, 6'7") KK Cibona VIP Zagreb (Croatia)
Marko TOMAS (G, 6'7") Real Madrid (Spain)
Roko-Leni UKIC (G, 6'5") Lottomatica Roma (Italy)

Croatia have defeated Australia twice in three contests this month prior to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, a competition that in which they won their semi final to book their place in Bejing. Croatia defeated a Dirk Nowitzki lead Germany 70-67, with Marko Tomas top scoring with 21 points.

Iran
Hamed AFAGH (G, 6'3") Saba Battery (Iran)
Mohammadreza AKBARI BISHEH (G, 6'4'")
Amir AMINI (G, 6'3") Kaveh Tehran (Iran)
Ali BAHERAN
Samad BAHRAMI
Javad DAVARI (G, 6'1") Petrochimi Imam (Iran)
Saeid DAVARPANAHFARD (G, 6'2")
Hooman REZAEE
Mahdi KARANY (G, 5'11")
Jaber ROUZBAHANI DARRESARI (C, 7'4")
Oshin SAHAKIAN (F, 6'7") Zob Ahan Esfahan (Iran)
Hamed SOHRABNAJAD (F, 6'8") Petrochimi Imam Harbour (Iran)
Pooya TADJIK
Iman ZANDI MASHHADY (G, 6'1") BEEM (Iran)
* 2 players to be cut from squad

Iran, since being swept by Australia, have been preparing in the USA by competeing against NBA hopefuls in the Rocky Mountain Review.

Lithuania
Joans MACIULIS (F, 6'7") BC Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania)
Ramunas SISKAUSKAS (G, 6'6") CSKA Moscow (Russia)
Marius PREKEVICIUS (F, 6'5") BC Sialiai (Lithuania)
Darius SONGALIA (F, 6'8")
Ksystof LAVARINOVIC (C, 6'11") Montepaschi Siena (Italy)
Simas JASAITIS (F, 6'7") Tau Ceramica (Spain)
Sarunas JASIKEVICIUS (G, 6'4") Panathinaikos BSA Athens (Greece)
Robertas JAVTOKAS (C, 6'11") Dynamo Moscow (Russia)
Tomas DELININKAITIS (G, 6'3") SC Azovmash Mariupol (Ukraine)
Rimantas KAUKENAS (G, 6'4") Montepaschi Siena (Italy)
Linas KLEIZA (F, 6'8")
Darius LAVINOVIC (C, 6'11") Unics Kazan (Russia)
Mindaugas LUKAUSKIS (G, 6'6") Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius (Lithiania)
Marijonas PETRAVICIUS Lietuvos Rytas Vilinius (Lithuania)
* 2 players to be cut from squad

Lithuania have been rocked by the injury forced absense of Arvydas Macijauskas, and the refusal of the Cleveland Cavs to allow star centre Zydrunas Ilgauskas to compete. In a lead up to the Olympics Lithuania have been warming up against some of the European nations that will not be in China. They have defeated Portugal 90-61, Belarus 113-57 and Iceland twice, 115-62, 105-67. Most recently though the Lithianians lost to Spain 66-91 wih Lukauskas scoring 15 and Jasikevicius 12.

Russia
J-R HOLDEN (G, 6'1") CSKA Moscow (Russia)
Nikolai PADIUS (G, 6'6") Unics Kazan (Russia)
Nikita MORGUNOV (C, 6'11") Khimki Moscow (Russia)
Zakhar PASHUTIN (G, 6'5") CSKA Moscow (Russia)
Victor KHRYAPA (F, 6'9") CSKA Moscow (Russia)
Sergey MONYA (F, 6'8") Dynamo Moscow (Russia)
Andrei KIRILENKO (F, 6'9") Utah Jazz (USA)
Petr SAMONYLENKO (G, 6'1") Dynamo Moscow (Russia)
Alexei SAVRASSENKO (C, 7'1") CSKA Moscow (Russia)
Sergei BYKOV (G, 6'3") Dynamo Moscow (Russia)
Fedor DMITRIEV (F, 6'9") Triumph Lyubertsy (Russia)
Vitaly FRIDZON (G, 6'5") Khimki Moscow (Russia)
Anton PONKRASHOV (G, 6'7") Khimki Moscow (Russia)
Nikita SHABALKIN (F, 6'9") Khimki Miscow (Russia)
Alexey SHVED (G, 6'5") CSKA Moscow (Russia)
* 2 players to be cut from squad

Russia have recently partcipated in the Torneo Extreadura warm up in Spain, where they beat Portugal but lost 56-91 to the host without star Victor Khryapa who is battling an ankle injury to be fit fot the Olympics.

[Thiele]

The Boombers defeated China in a warm uo tournment

[Thiele]

Australia into the Diamond Cup final after beating African Champions Angola 81-78

[MightyEagles]

Now play Argentina. I prefer a medal at the olympics, but I take winning the lead up turnament.

[am Bays]

Boomers and basketball are as one...