David ANDERSEN - not Anderson... Is it that hard???

What about Nevill? (Boges went to Athens in about the same situation) What about Bruce (he needs to be blooded - that's why we are so screwed now - no-one was blooded for the 1 during the Heal/Gaze days and so now we have a handicapped backcourt)? I'd try out Matt Knight and Maric in camp (the next Aussie starting PF will be out of those two methinks)...

Nice team DB5. Perhaps Anstey should be in there. The problem is that I think I heard somewhere that international teams are only allowed one naturalized foreigner but I'm not sure if that's right, is it?

Deffinetly Anstey and Kickert and Bruce. Maybe some other young players as well bring in Daniel Dillon and Ryan Kersten for the training as well.

Have to question What is coceived as "Goorg's Team". The rumours were abound that he wanted D'mac and wasn't allowed. Not mentioned in DB5's side but a Nielson was a walk up start if available. Andersen another walk up start if available (injured).

With those 3 in his squad we have ability and experience under pressure, probably two more early W's and a top eight finish.

The only lucky break Goorg got re availability came late with CJ playing. He probably under performed but his team prep was not good. He and Goorg copped a caning on this site and through the media but the crit should have been levelled high up the tree. Everybody in ball is pretty aware that worlds and olympics are the gear so the Nielson thing was inexusable. If the coach is going to hang for the result and he/she always does, then let them select their team. In this case Dmac would have been given a shirt.

DB5 - Pepper and Rillie - Really!! Surprised that you didn't include Mike McKay and John Dorgen.

I was thinking along the lines of

C Bogut/Schensher (if available)

PF Andersen/Worthington

SF Cattalin/SMack

SG Newley/Ingles/Harvey

PG CJ/Bruce/DMac

Okay, I forgot Anstey, probably include him for Andersen if he is injured...left out Neilsen due to the insurance factor..Rillie was in because he does all the little things, and who else would...
Kickert would be in the training squad.

C: Anstey/Schenscher
PF: Bogut/Neilsen
SF: Cat/Mac/Sav
SG: Newley/Harvey
PG: CJ/Bruce/DMac

Sween, I put Pepper in due to his form this season, and his size..I have watched a few Breakers games this season, and IMO he has improved his game considerably..I use to bag the guy when the Celts drafted him, but he has raised his skill level and knows how to fill up the keyway..something we didn't do at the worlds...

Would you take Pepper over Anstey? Cant argue over the current Pepper form. This performance level from Pepper hasn't been on display for some seasons and I question whether or not it will continue for the remainder of this season.

Consider NZ's recent form is less than average - striving to be achieve "mediocrity" so to speak.
Does there win /Loss record reflect on Peppers performance? For the sake of discussion, if Powell draws players and draws them early in the offence does this give Pepper more room and time to play? So maybe its Powell and Lemanis that should get the plaudits?

Peppers defensive presence has always been good and so Goorg. would have a soft spot for him. At the worlds, the Boomers struggled with offence to the point of inability to inbound the ball. That was the real trouble.

Sween, no, I would include Anstey for Andersen...IMO Anstey is not an international centre..puts up too many 3's in transition, doesn't hit the boards enough..play him at the 4 I reckon..

Fair call on Powell, but I am sure someone like McKinnon would draw double teams and feed him all night long...

The inbound struggle would be rectified by the guys I picked that can dribble under pressure without turning the ball over for open 3's..a la Dmac, Rillie, CJ, Sav.

DB5 - did you just say you'd leave Pepper in your squad, and take Andersen out? Really?

Wow.

Pepper may have had a good season in an undersized league, but Andersen is an integral part (and sometimes starter) on one of (if not the) best teams in Europe.

Besides, if you were to take Bogut, Anstey, Andersen, Nielsen you'd have 4 guys capable of playing the 4 spot, and 3 guys capable of playing minutes at the 5 spot.

If Andersen is fit, he's a walk up starter for any Boomers team this side of 2010.

FWIW if I were picking a Boomers side to compete in an international event right now, ignoring any injuries that may or may not have been in place at the time of the 06 WC's, it'd look like this :

Bogut
Andersen
Mackinnon
Newley
Bruton

Anstey
Nielsen
Cattalini
Smith
Bruce

D-Mac
Saville

Harvey is possibly unlucky to miss out, but he's very, very streaky, a below-par defender & is undisciplined, IMO.

I'm not much of a fan of Jason Smith, but I think he probably needs to be in the team. Whether that stands for 2008 is probably up for debate, but right now, he's still a very good defender & reliable shooter. Gives us a completely different look to what Newley does, while I reckon Saville could also handle the 2 spot at international level.

It's essentially a veteran squad, but if you're planning on winning games at world champs, you have to take guys who know how to win. There's still youth in there (Newley, Bruce, Bogut) as well as guys who can play for another 4 years (Andersen, Nielsen, CJ).

As for the training squad, I think guys like Kendall, Barlow, Worthington belong there (though they're not up to being in the final 12, IMO), along with guys like Ingles, Maric, Kickert. That'd give you 18 guys.

If you were to start your selection process at 35, I'd also include a mix of veterans (Rillie, Harvey etc) with younger guys (Kersten, Mills, Jawai).

#110963 Here's a link to Andersen Current Team info (I hope)
http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=AKT

Hoop Addict...fair call, Andersen would be better than Pepper...for once too many centres/forwards in form to choose from..

Harvey would be a better choice than logo boy Smith..Plus a bit of attitude is needed against teams like the US. They might even think it is Heal, and try and whack him one...

C : Bogut/Anstey
PF : Andersen/Neilson
SF : Mackinnon/Worthington
SG : Newley/Ingles
PG : Bruce/Bruton

Maybes : Harvey, Saville, Schenscher, Catalini

Taking into consideration all the guys who were unavailiable, this would be my 12:

Bogut
Kickert
Cattalini (is he retired form international ball?)
Newley
Bruton

Bruce
Smith
Mackinnon
Worthington
Pepper
Markovic
Holmes

Boges (C/Pf)
Andersen (Pf/C)
MacKinnon (Sf/Pf)
Rillie (Sg/Pg)
Bruton (Pg/Sg)

Anstey (C/Pf)
Newley (Sg/Sf)
Neilsen (Sf/Pf)
Bruce (Pg/Sg)
D-Mac (Pg/Sg)
Add: A couple of young speccies...
Nevill - 7-1 with skills the earlier he gets a gig the sooner he will reach his potential as an intl. player (C)
Jingles - See Nevill above (`cept for the 7-1 bit)...(Sg/Sf???)

Unluckies - Wortho, Maric, Kendall, Schenscher (If Nevill hadn`t come along - everything would have been different... but Luke S. can kiss the Boomers goodbye with the way this kid is coming along... Cest la vie... he`s 20yo and Luke S. is (barely) playing for Fort Worth in the NBDL)... Luke really should be trying to get a gig in Europe - if anyone wants him (which may be the problem)...

Just a thought, but aren't the Olympic qualifyers this coming off season?

If so, then we will be very undermanned. No Bogut (I'd assume), most likely no Newley, or Schenscher if he stays around playing summer league looking for an NBA contract. Maybe not Andersen (he will most likely be playing for Atalnta next year, so MAY have to play some SL).

Aaron Bruce is on some mock drafts for the 07 draft and Aleks Maric is dominating for Nebraska, so who knows, they may be joing Newley in the Draft.

That would leave a depleted line-up. Maybe Neville will get an early look in...

111196, I agree with you. I hated seeing the way CJ played in some games, especially the USA game. It was like he was star struck and forgot that he was actually playing. Oh, and all he did was jack up three after three, that annoyed me too.

I would've loved to have seen Bruce start, or at least get more time, at the point. The way he played was more point-guard-like, actually distibuting the ball. But Bruce should be our starting point in 2008, with CJ, Mills and Marko all battling for the other point spots.