So i can't get ABC working on my tv this is really annoying...

15min to tip-off people.

Tune into ABC2 from 10:25pm AEST.

Not sure of any online streams.

Starters: Greenwood, Madgen, Walker, Worthington & Brandt.

China's team is massive - 9 of their team are over 200cm. Their length is causing the Aussies some trouble.

So Perth basketball fans "Where the ell are ya?"

ABC commentator "A reasonable crowd here at Challenge Stadium"

Nice try.

(8/20)

Whats with the Chinese names on the back of the Aus guernseys?

Nate Jawai on the bench was good to see.

Crazy starting lineup! Way too small against a big Chinese lineup. Brock Motum has looked good so far that's about it

Great to see Jawai in attendance on the bench, looks like a good indication towards his commitment to playing for the Boomers

Jawai has been training with the team in the lead up to this game.

Chinese looked too organized and too polished in first half.

Australia looked disorganized.

Better started to 2nd half so far.

Hopefully big Nate is ready to step in next game because this team is really struggling so far. Hopefully our guys can lock in a bit better mentally in the 2nd half. Far too many defensive breakdowns and no cohesion or purpose on offence.

Interesting half time stats. Neither team had committed a turnover apparently yet I recalled seeing at least four.

(9/20)

Whats with the Chinese names on the back of the Aus guernseys?

Didn't like this team on paper and not liking it now..... not worth staying up

Madgen, Lucas walker and Rhys Martin are all out of their depths internationally.

Sorry anon 6657 but you're nuts if you think Motum was dominated. He was actually close to the only Boomer who looked a serious threat to score every time touched the ball. I hope Lemanis starts him alongside Walker and Neville next game.

Good heart shown by the guys to pull this game out. Boy was it amateur hour from the Chinese in the last few minutes tho!

BA press release included this:

Making their Boomers' debuts, Lucas Walker (17 points and seven rebounds) and Brock Motum (15 points) came up huge for the home team, combining for 22 points in the final quarter and overtime.

Sydney Kings star Ben Madgen came up big in overtime, scoring six points on his way to 15 points for the game, while WA centre Luke Nevill was brilliant early, scoring 16 points and grabbing six rebounds in 17 minutes.

That was a difficult game at times to watch and although I'm glad we ultimately got the win, the cohesion and tentativeness was brutal in the first half with the exception being Nevill that didn't get the minutes he deserved.

I thought Steindl did some nice things throughout and Walker was more than handy and Wortho trying to intimidate the Chinese in the 3rd really lit the spark in us.

Hopefully we don't need that next game but I'd be very interested in who starts in game 2.

Chinese were far better than the crowd (went to a sino game last year and the crowd was nothing compared to Wildcats games except for the close finish). I'm not sure what agreement Perth have to host these games but I certainly wouldn't attend another. Far too many nervous players that are intimidated by the Boomers jersey!

Is it just me or do Aussie teams always shoot horribly from the 3 in these competitions. Lucas walker putting his hand up for that Barlow/worthington spot, one of the few guys who could make something happen at international level with his athleticism.

This may have been covered before, another topic, but aren't the Boomers' games played in Australia (pre Olympics/Worlds)all organised by RV Sports, Andrew Vlahov company? Certainly were in the past couple of years but the contract may have expired. May answer why Perth is favoured.

Too early to really make judgement but three players made n impression on me in terms of what they would be needed to do in a full strength team.

Nevill - his jumpshot was money, exactly what we need from a big and what he's shown in the NBL in the past, and was solid defensively

Worthington - our best defender last night, very disruptive and showed Lemanis he can offer a lot in burst at PF. Shame he isn't a better perimeter shooter

Martin - was rusty at first, but the offence was sooooo much better when he was running it. I was most impressed by his D though, very clever and disruptive, exactly what you'd want from a backup PG

Other thoughts:

Motum is squarely in the Daniel Johnson mould. Has all sorts of offensive ability but still unpolished as an overall player and needs to improve his toughness on boards and defensively.

If only Walker was a diamond you could polish, he has the tools to play internationally but he is just raw and would make mistakes that hurt you.

I was super impressed with how the Chinese team started. Over the years the first game of these match ups both teams have been very rusty, and the Boomers were again, but China looked liked a well-oiled machine.

Looking forward to the next three games.

Absolutely agree with your take on players, if walker could raisd his IQ a bit I would feel a lot more comfortable with him on the court. Martin was very good at point and I thought wd were coached well.

All the players seemed to be committed to Lemanis. It looked disorganised at times but you couldn't question the intensity.

I don't know that I've seen Martin play that hard. He was pretty feisty when he got caught covering a big in the paint, working to the limits of fouling to keep his opponent out of rebounding contention. If he can carry that through to the Hawks, that will help them immensely as I think he can coast a bit in the NBL.

Great second half comeback!

Without Nevill, the game would have been over by half time.

As the game wore on, Walker, Motum and Madgen got better and better. Martin was solid, although I also liked the team better within Greenwood on court rather than Martin as he was the better play maker.

Emotionless first half by the Aussies, and then the Aussie spirit and fire kicked came to the fore in the second half, in part thanks to Wortho.

Game 1 Recap is now up on PnR site:

2014 Sino-Australia Challenge: Boomers come from behind to steal game 1

Lucas Walker was a surprise inclusion in a new-look Australian Boomers team that began their four-game Sino-Australia series against a young Chinese team in Perth. 45 minutes after tip-off, it was Walker's athleticism and tenacity that had helped catapult the Boomers to an improbable 97-95 overtime victory.

Out of interest, why did we pick that team? Ie, why no Damian Martin or Adam Gibson? No Petrie? (Perhaps too old). I can understand DJ is overseas.

It seems like we chose mostly a very young team of players that have never really played together - ie, a development type squad.

Martin pulled out with injury and I suspect Gibson and Petrie might already be picked for the next camp?

Hoping the Boomers can react better to China's pressure from early on in Game 2. Greenwood, Madgen and Walker in particular got forced into bad decisions by that, when composure is absolutely key in international ball.

Exactly. I think either Wortho or Petrie has to be at the WC to do all those little things, press up the floor and defend more mobile PFs or stronger SFs.

Was an ugly game to watch. All credit for the last minute come back.. the heart was there but I feel like the athleticism, size and skill is sorely lacking from this group.

I don't think anyone impressed me enough to disrupt for spots on the World Champ team but we did get half decent mileage out of Walker, Motum, Nevill and Worthington. I agree that it is time to move on from Worthington I would probably take Petrie into my World Cup team, does everything Worthington does plus is a reliable shooter.

They all looked a bit flat footed and unco.. Madgen is too unathletic and slow to make the worlds squad, his defence is also highly suspect.. He wouldn't be able to get to the ring, and he would be lucky to get a shot off. Steindl and Gliddon were virtually non-entities but they would be two who perhaps could sneak in for a spot up shooter role. Nevill was alright but we have enough centres and hes about 5th in line if that.

Motum was underwhelming given his college pedigree.. but I guess we will wait and see for him.

Either way, I can see why Perth didn't overly turn up. This is the Boomers D team if lucky. I don't really see any more then 1 or 2 making it from this group once we factor in

Mills
Gibbo
D martin
Exum
Newley
Goulding
Ingles
Baynes
Bairstow
Maric
Anderson
Petrie
Jawai
Bogut*
Dellavedova
Barlow (I am reconsidering Barlows worth atm)


Feasibly you could make a world cup team without including a single person from this team.

The team also sorely lacked length and athleticism that Drmic and Blanchfield would have given us. Any word why they were omitted? must have been injured?

Me. I expected it to happen, but at halftime it was 11.30 and time for my tablet

They had this out at Challenge Stadium where the Wildcats played for a long time.

This decision made no sense

A) Its hard to get out there at the best of times by public transport

B) Parking is limited

C) The facilties are well... not great by any standard nowadays.

I think Saturday's game is selling very well, but 8.30pm on a Thurs was always going to be a stretch for fans. Pretty sure the time was for Chinese TV, and they pay more than fans.

Assuming Bogut's not available, I think maybe something like:

Baynes/Jawai
Andersen/Petrie/Bairstow
Ingles/Newley
Mills/Goulding/Exum
Dellavedova/Gibson

Nevill, Worthington, Broekhoff and D Martin would round out my squad of 16.

Hope Bogut pulls his finger out. squad looks much better if that happens.

Paul, I thought Wortho played a good disruptive role to help get us back in the game vs the Chinese, but they really aren't a very good team. My memory is that against more experienced, better opposition that Wortho was unable to have an impact in the past.

I'd definitely go with Petrie for that role over Worthington for the moment. Ideally, Simmons will come along sooner rather than later and can play the mobile big role anyway.

I think Nevill should get some consideration for the Worlds team if Bogut doesn't play. He's probably competing with Jawai for the last big man spot IMO, behind Baynes, Andersen and Bairstow. (I could be jumping the gun with Bairstow, but I have really been super-impressed with his hustle and agility for his size - which puts him ahead of Nevill and Jawai in my eyes).

Maybe I had lower expectations for Motum, but I thought he showed some good potential in his first Boomers game. He's very quick and agile for his size and clever at getting off his shot too. I liked the competitive fire he showed as well. Time will tell if he can improve defensively and if he can get his shot off against better opponents around the basket. I think there's a possibility he could slide into the 12th spot though for the Worlds.

Anyone know if Broekhoff will get a chance to suit up for the Boomers before the Worlds? I'd like to see what he can offer too.

Jawai and Bogut's availability make it hard to pick a final 12,

Dellavedova, Exum,
Mills, Newley,Goulding
Ingles,Simmons
Andersen,Bairstow,Petrie.
Baynes,Jawai.

Motum, Drmic, Nevill and D Martin round squad to 16.

Beantown - I haven't seen Wortho play internationally in a disruptive defensive scheme like this one so it's hard to say, but I think he and Petrie are definitely the best we've got in that role.

Having said that, Wortho has more than proved himself as an international 3/4, so while I think Petrie has a little bit more to offer I wouldn't mind either, or even both if Lemanis really wants to pour on the pressure.

paul, I can't believe you've got Nevill on the outside of your 12-man team. You've been pumping his tyres up for so long, and I was finally starting to get on board with you, and now you've given him the chop! Ha ha.

I would also have Damian Martin in the back-up point guard role ahead of Gibson, especially now that he has improved his three-point shot. As you mentioned above, you want your back-up point guard to be defensively disruptive, then we should take our best defender, who just happens to be a point guard.

And I still just can't get on board with Petrie being in our best 12 man team. I love Peach, but something about it just doesn't feel right.

Anyway, on to game 2 tomorrow night. Let's hope the fellas can show that fourth quarter aggressiveness for more of the game.

Petries a poor mans wortho? I was thinking it was reverse of that !

I would take Petrie over Wortho. Also Martin over Gibson. Just my opinion.

Interesting little stats comparison between Broekhoff and Ingles:

Ingles

Israeli League: 5.9 ppg in 20.6 minutes per game

Euroleague: 6.4 ppg in 22.4 minutes per game

Broekhoff

Turkish League: 6.2 ppg in 15.3 minutes per game

Eurocup: 6.3 ppg in 21.9 minutes per game

Obviously Ingles plays in the Euroleague which is a higher level, and is much more experienced at the international level. But it's worth keeping in mind ...

Sure, Wortho has had the better overall career, but these days he couldn't hit the side of a barn and has no lift to get his shot off in the paint. Petrie isn't a great shooter, but at least you can rely on him to knock down an open shot when he is wide open! Defensive harassment is all well and good, but if the other team can basically ignore you on offence, then the benefits are largely negated IMO.

Just finished watching replay, Waxy was in great form!

Can't get my head around all the comments regarding D Martin being in the mix for the boomers. I would pick R Martin over him every day of the week and over Gibson.
Controls tempo better
Doesn't have FLAT feet like D Martin
Better handle than both Gibson n D M
Gets his team to the finals without superstars around him.
Put Gibson and D Martin at the hawks and see how successful they are.

Anyway who simply quotes stats and says Worthington had a better 2013/14 than Petrie didn't watch the season!

Huge call there Dave, R Martin over D Martin or Gibson!
Rotnei Clarke got the Hawks into the finals and only just.

Jez - What's worth keeping in mind???

Yeah Steve but Clarke was a 2 guard and not running the point, R Martin was the guy running the show for Geordie.

Clarke was the guy putting the ball in the bucket which was the telling factor in getting them to the play offs

Vodka43 I merely thought it an interesting stats comparison between a guy considered a lock and a guy who's on the fringes