Pair in line for Cup debuts after Boomers banned

THE Boomers have made five changes to start the second round of basketball World Cup qualifiers, replacing banned trio Thon Maker, Derek Kickert and Chris Goulding.

The three Australians were suspended along with 10 Philippines players following the brawl in their final first-round match last month.

Illawarra’s Todd Blanchfield replaces sharpshooter Goulding while Adelaide’s AllNBL First Team player Daniel Johnson is in for forward Kickert, with the pair in line to make World Cup qualifying debuts.

Matt Hodgson, Mitch Norton and Jesse Wagstaff also return.

Banned for thee international games, Maker would have been unavailable due to NBA commitments, as is Milwaukee Bucks teammate Matthew Dellavedova, who played in the final two first-round matches.

Former NBA veteran Andrew Bogut will only be called on for the World Cup.

Melbourne United skipper Goulding, who was outed for one game, will miss the opener against Qatar in Doha on September 14, but will return for the second match against Kaz- akhstan on September 17 at Bendigo Stadium. Two home qualifiers will be played at Margaret Court Arena later in the year before the final two early next year, with the topthree teams qualifying for the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China.

Blanchfield was a member of the Boomers’ gold medalwinning team at the Asia Cup last year, where he averaged 5.7 points a game while John- son’s inclusion follows a stellar NBL season.

Australia squad:

Blanchfield (Illawarra Hawks), Angus Brandt (Perth Wildcats), Jason Cadee (Brisbane Bullets), Anthony Drmic (Adelaide 36ers), Hodgson (Brisbane Bullets), Johnson (Adelaide 36ers), Nicholas Kay (Perth Wildcats), Kevin Lisch (Sydney Kings), Mitch McCarron (Melbourne United), Norton (Perth Wildcats), Nathan Sobey (Adelaide 36ers), Wagstaff (Perth Wildcats).

AAP