Gliddon’s got the goods Tall guard tipped for big things as Boomers’ Games campaign looms
FRIDAY MARCH 9 2018 TAIPANS veteran Alex Loughton says Boomersbound teammate Cameron Gliddon has all the tools to play for Australia at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Gliddon was named in the Commonwealth Games squad this week and has played a significant role for the green-andgold over the past 12 months, highlighted most recently by a 16-point performance in a World Cup qualifier against the Philippines in Melbourne last month.
With the Boomers set to boast an unprecedented level of NBA talent at the 2020 Games, Loughton said the smoothshooting Gliddon was well-suited to the international game.
“Without a doubt he’s got that potential,” Loughton said.
“There are some tough players that may be ahead of him at the moment. But you want guys who can carry the culture of the group and a player like that can keep that continuity within your team.
“He’s a tall guard and on the international stage you have bigger players. Having a taller guard on your roster is very handy. Plus, he can shoot the ball at an international level. Mentally, he’s an even-keeled sort of guy capable of going into those big campaigns, which is really important.”
Coming off a standout season that saw him average 12.6 points per game while sinking a career high 92 per cent from the charity stripe, the out-ofcontract Loughton said his offseason would be a busy one.
“I’m just taking stock at the moment,” he said. “My goal was different at the start of the year, in terms of playing next year but I’ll definitely go on (playing) now.
“I’ve just got to rinse and repeat. I’ve got to keep playing. I need to play 10-12 games (offseason) to keep the body in check. I’ve spoken with coaches over the phone. There are a few different leads I’ll look into.”
Australia kick of their Commonwealth Games against Canada at the Cairns Convention Centre on Friday, April 6.
HE CAN SHOOT THE BALL AT AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. MENTALLY, HE’S AN EVEN-KEELED SORT OF GUY ... WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT.