I don't understand why the Boomers are playing an exhibition game against an Asian team. It's a completely meaningless game.
This is not to disrespect the Asian team. The Boomers will not face any Asian team in the group stage. We meet two Euro teams and Canada. The style of basketball between Euro and Asian teams is completely different.

Why aren't the games played in other states and not always Melbourne.

Why aren't the games played in other states and always Melbourne.

It is not fair to others who would like to see them play as well.

Sports capital of Australia

If memory serves me correctly the Victorian government signed a hosting agreement with BA.

When was the last time a Boomers team played in Sydney? 2011?

Well Sydney always get the Socceroos and Matilda's.

The Victorian government didn’t build AAMI Park suitable for large football events like the Asia Cup, Matilda’s. Good move by the Victorian government signing the deal for basketball.

Where’s the Japan games at?

Boomers need to play European teams, heard they have USA, Serbia in Abu Dhabi. Of course they get the two blockbuster games, wonder how much they paid?

AAMI park is definitely big enough for Asia cup games that don't feature the Matildas. Its odd that Victoria was left out of that. Disappointing.

As much as I love all the Boomers games being in melbourne (I have tickets for one of each of Boomers and Opals) I think it should be shared around.

Agree, Cram.

BA should just accept fewer $ in order to spread the development of the game around the country, instead of chasing the $ and always ending up in the biggest cities.

More chance of seeing a flying pig, I suppose.

Come on everyone. Every penny matters, Think we should stop expecting LK to just keep on pouring his own in. You say he makes it already? I repeat, EVERY PENNY MATTERS! If a government wants to pay, and more than anyone else, so be it. Talk to your own govt about it, perhaps.

Really, I feel like you all do, wishing it's going to be "next door". Thank (someone?) for TV!

Just re-read that post... sorry. You were talking of BA, not LK. My bad.

"Well Sydney always get the Socceroos and Matilda's."

Can we trade?

Honestly, I don't mind if Sydney doesn't get Boomers games, but some city outside of Melbourne would be nice.

The Games are in Europe this time and still the Boomers lack practice games against Euro teams?

The Abu Dhabi hosted games are organised between it and USA Basketball.

So all BA got us were China and Japan. They are completely useless as an organisation.

Well they play USA once and Serbia once

There is apparently a small pre Olympic tournament the Boomers will be in before the Olympics proper. And apparently the two games against Japan arent even the full Boomers but some sort of "look to the future" Boomers team, so as far as anything goes that will be a useless endeavour.

I presume that 'look to the future team' will have players on it who weren’t even in the 22 man squad? Doesn’t really seem to be enough guys from that squad who you’d think would be part of ‘look to the future’

Olgun tweeted that the 'look to the future' team will be completely separate from the main Boomers team, there won't be any players overlapping.

That makes more sense, could've expected to see Rocco or Furphy on the 'look to the future team’ though

These are completely meaningless games that have nothing to do with the Olympics. We need to play more practice games against Euro teams.

word14 I think Rocco and Furphy could still potentially play in the future team, as by then it'll be the final 12 or maybe 14 playing for the proper Boomers games, so if they have been cut they could play for the future team

Yeah that'd make sense. And it's more or less a certainty they won't be in the final 14 or 12

I just think they should can any 'future' team, I mean most decent guys wont be putting their hands up for it. Youre gonna get at best fringe guys and what experience will they really get from 2 meaningless games against Japan? BA wastes its time with this shit. The Boomers need as much prep as they can get and yet youre inventing a Mickey Mouse team that wont have your Tyrese Proctor types on it to play Japan?

Future team. Of course not all will be available.

Rocco
Bannan
Furphy
Toohey
Proctor
Travers
Galloway(s)
MacDonald
Henshall
Olbrich
Gak

I like the look of that, do they look even younger and give guys like Siuelpa or Dash Daniels an early Boomers introduction?

Nick Kay on youtube just about to start, b league.

It's not that good a game standard, half time but from what I’ve seen today, Kay will be lucky if he makes Paris. Crowd and stadium looks great and they pay well so they attract players.

Much better second half, I thought the refs were certainly better than nbl refs. Kay's team can’t qualify for finals, to one dimensional, Henare coaching. Actually a very good product after what I thought was average first half. Kay was ok, but to much left to him and Buford.

Boomer could struggle at Olympics.

No Boomers will struggle in Paris

I too am concerned about the Boomers heading into this one. I am not sure whether my fears are founded or not, or if it's just a hangover from a pitiful world cup campaign where we didnt even have a proper centre on the team. But I look at our roster and see how half the team is too young and half the team is too old, and the fact we dont have a standout All Star level talent, and wonder what we will be capable of.

I think Spain (who is likely to qualify) is in the same boat but they have less current NBA guys than we do. So my bet and guess is we beat a rebuilding Spain and manage to make the top 8. That would be my threshold for success. Anything beyond that would be incredible. I am hoping for the best but my enthusiasm is definitely knocked by just how hapless we were last year. We cant go into this one smaller than we can be, thinking we can small ball our way into something. This team should have Landale-Reath-Magnay at minimum in the big man department and even then we'd be undersized.

Pity we don't play South Sudan.

Large pool, includes the maker brothers and quite a few others from Aus.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=937345611731236&set=pcb.937345638397900

ME, if we bring Landale/Reath/Magnay, how would we be "still undersized"?

Thon Maker will represent South Sudan

I watched Kay's game today.
I will be disappointed if Kay is selected for the Olympic team. Kay cannot defend against any opponent at the Olympic level. He will continue to be a target for opposing teams.

Kay's team missed finals, bad season as they were considered one of the top few.