SUPERCATS VOW A PHYSICAL 3x3

GEELONG Supercats stars DeMarcus Gatlin, Liam McInerney and Lewis Thomas will play for a spot in the FIBA 3x3 Los Angeles World Tour Masters when they head to China this weekend.

The trio, along with Rob Linton, will take on some of the world’s best 3x3 teams at the Yichang Challenger, with Gatlin promising a physical Geelong to take the court.

“A couple of the teams are the best 3x3 teams in the world, so we want to go over there and be physical, guard well and then hopefully some shots fall in for us,” Gatlin said.

“If we can make some shots then anything can happen. It’s cool to be able to play basketball and travel, so I’m looking forward to it.”

The World Tour Masters will be played in September. Gatlin and his team have already tasted international 3x3 competition, playing in a tournament in Mongolia this year.

They have also played at tournaments in Melbourne, Darwin and Geelong.

Gatlin said the team was still finding its feet in the 3x3 arena, but was confident of a strong showing in China.

“A lot of teams, they go on tour for six months of the year and practice every day. We want to go over there and be competitive,” he said.

“I think the last couple of tournaments have better prepared us to know the rules and know what’s going on.

“The game is so fast-paced that as soon as you make a mistake or miss a shot then there is no time to think about it. You have to get back on defence.

“It’s a lot more tiring and physical than people expect. You have to know the rules and the ins and outs.

“Once you start learning to play and how to guard certain actions, you give yourself a chance to win.”

Linton is a new addition, with the fourth spot in the team rotated due to unavailabilities.

“It’s been strange because every time we have played in this 3x3 tournament we have a different fourth player,” Gatlin admitted.

“Every time we end up taking someone different and that messes with our chemistry a little bit. But I think Rob Linton is a very tough, physical player that can knock down some three-point shots which is what our team needs right now.” Saturday, 7.30pm Bellarine Sports Centre

DE-MAN: Supercat DeMarcus Gatlin will lead the Geelong team at the 3x3 tournament in China. BEN BOOSTS BOOMERS Matthew Dellavedova believes the addition of NBA superstar Ben Simmons will catapult Australia into the medals in September’s FIBA World Cup. Dellavedova was part of the Boomers line-up that heartbreakingly finished fourth at the 2016 Olympics and revealed yesterday that he’d avoided watching any footage of that “painful” campaign. He said he started reflecting on it during the NBA off-season and it had stoked the fire leading into the World Cup in China, which commences late next month. “I had tried not to think about Rio too much because obviously it was bitterly disappointing,” Dellavedova said. “But that hunger in the belly and that sick feeling of disappointment has been there all (US) summer, and that’s why I’ve been working hard to get ready so we can give it a good crack.” FIXTURES Big V Championship Sunday, 2pm, Geelong Basketball Netball Centre Big V Division 1 Women Saturday, 5.30pm, Bellarine Sports Centre Sunday, 2pm, Warrandyte Men