TAIPANS JOIN BOOMERS
AUSTRALIAN Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis is planning the next 18 months and he has Cairns Taipan Mitch McCarron right in the thick of it.
The second-year professional has earned the right to wear the green and gold of the Australian Boomers for the first time and he will have Snakes mate Cameron Gliddon by his side.
The Far North pair were yesterday afternoon locked in to Lemanis’ 12-man squad for the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup next month.
Lemanis trimmed his 20man squad down by eight with the injury-hit Boomers leaving out Olympians Chris Goulding and Kevin Lisch as well as former Taipan and Cairns Marlin Nathan Sobey.
The Snakes duo will stay in camp until Thursday before heading to Beirut, Lebanon on August 2 for a series of practices and a lead-in game. The first game of the tournament will be played six days later.
McCarron was coached by Lemanis at the 2015 World University Games and he believes that experience helped him going into his first Boomers camp.
“He is really direct and tells you how he feels about things,” McCarron said. “He can be harsh at times but that is what you are looking for.
“It is helpful being able to talk to him about things and getting advice.
“I certainly had to earn my spot though, as it is something I have always wanted to do since I was a little kid.”
The camp on the Gold Coast was about setting the scene for the next 18 months with the Boomers’ NBA players unavailable for the Asia Cup, according to Lemanis.
“We wanted to continue to build with the broader group and establish the team’s trademarks as well as offensive and defensive understandings,” Lemanis said.
“It is a great opportunity for the first-timers to get that international experience with the Boomers, which will serve us well as we progress through the qualification process.
“I know how much it means to them to be in a Boomers environment and every time you are around them, it reminds you just how lucky we are to be involved in a wonderful program with wonderful people.”
Following the camp on the Gold Coast, Olympians David Andersen and Brad Newley will join Australia’s first foray into the Asia Cup, held in Lebanon from August 8-20.
They play Japan in their opening match.