Bogut rates Boomers a Cup chance

Boomers star Andrew Bogut is now a believer.

Heading into next month’s World Cup in China, the big man says the Australian team has the talent to take the title.

The Boomers issued a World Cup warning with their historic 98-94 win over the US in front of more than 50,000 at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on Saturday.

Patty Mills starred with a game-high 30 points, including 13 in the final quarter, while Joe Ingles and Bogut turned in huge games to earn Australia’s first win in 55 years of rivalry with the US.

While it may have only been an exhibition match, it is a sweet win for a team who have never won a medal at the world championships or Olympics.

“We feel like we can beat anybody in the world – we feel like we can go out there and compete,” said Bogut (pictured), a veteran of three fruitless Olympic campaigns.

“That’s the first time in this regime that I’ve felt that with the Boomers. In the past it’s been go to the Olympics or a worlds and we’re not so much making up numbers, but we’ll give it a fair shot and whatever happens happens.

“We were competitive in the past but it wasn’t like we’d go into a tournament and think we’re going to try to win the gold medal and beat anyone we come across. I think this group has that belief.”

Bogut said the combined years of NBA experience in the Australian team was a cornerstone of their self-belief.

Players were no longer starstruck and the team “checked their ego at the door” and were united in the common goal of winning a medal.

Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis was particularly pleased with how his team had improved from their 102-86 loss in game one on Thursday night.

Lemanis pinpointed ball control and defensive rebounding as key improvements.

“We wanted to be disruptive defensively and I think it’s the first time in four games we were committed to that and good in that space,” he said.