Boomers take first step on Cup journey

AUSTRALIAN coach Andrej Lemanis says the chemistry forged during the undefeated FIBA Asia Cup campaign will be priceless when the Boomers start the long and gruelling road to basketball’s 2019 World Cup tonight.

Chinese Taipei will host the Boomers in the first of 12 qualifying games Australia must negotiate to make the World Cup in China.

The Boomers have homeand-away matches against Group B opponents Chinese Taipei, Japan and the Philippines between now and next July.

The second stage of qualifying involves matches against the top sides from Group D, which includes Iraq, Qatar, Kazakhstan and Iran between September next year and February 2019.

Australia will also compete for gold at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April.

A majority of the Boomers squad that went unbeaten in six games at August’s FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon have been retained for the first qualifying window that continues on Monday when Australia plays Japan in Adelaide.

Lemanis has called in Rio Olympians Chris Goulding and Damian Martin along with the explosive Nathan Sobey in the only changes to the squad that dominated the tournament, including a 90-50 thumping of Chinese Taipei.

With so much travel involved in the short FIBA window between NBL club commitments, Lemanis will lean heavily on the combinations formed at the Asia Cup.

“We basically have two days’ practice and then we are on, so it’s an interesting time,’’ he said.

“The Asia Cup was really important because we got to spend some time together as a group and understand how we are going to play. Hopefully that means we find that oncourt understanding quickly.

“The two Olympians we have brought in have been a part of the program since I’ve been coach, so that’s an easy transition, which leaves Sobey as the only player I haven’t worked with. If we come out and play the right way, we give ourselves a good opportunity for success.’’