Brian knows what to expect. There is a lot of pressure on some of his selections to perform. Losing this series is almost the worst thing that could happen to Basketball in Australia. He says he's not scared. That's good.
I agree with the thoughts of Phil Smyth and Boti Nagy. Perhaps it is more important to have players in the squad that know Goorjians system, than a more talented bunch that don't know work as well together. This isn't necessarily a chemistry problem that cannot be overcome, but I think that Brian and perhaps much of BA were thinking that the NZ squad is know each other well, after essentially playing together for the TalLBlacks for years.
But I strongly disagree with leaving out Luke Schensher over, say, Russell Hinder. NBA experience is NBA experience. Rusty may see quite a few minutes in this 3 game series but, whatever our next stop is, Olympics or another Qualifying tournament, I would much rather have seen how Schensher meshed with the rest of the Boomers now. Hinder will not make the Olympic team period. Schensher has a chance. Considering Hinder is expected to have a miminal impact as probably the 11th or 12th guy on the current team, it would have been much more beneficial to the program to have him involved. Especially now that we know he is not injured. Hopefully we don't lose him from the national squad now for good.
I agree with Shane Heal that talent wise, Luke Kendall is a down grade on exciting youngster Joe Ingles. But this team desperatly needs point guard experience, and with CJ out, and this being Darnell and Patrick first real international experience. I understand why he went with Kendall. If CJ was available I could see Luke being left out.
Issues of favouritism arrive due to the fact that so many Syndey Kings players made this team. This has been happening for the past few years, and I don't blame the players, and now I can see where the coach is coming from is his selections too. He is desperate. If we lose this series, there is every chance we miss out on the Olympics and a great chance at a medal, with a 100% available list. It's just that players who are less than NBL allstar's appear to be able to make the Australian Squad if they play for the Sydney Kings.
It happened in 2005 with an unknown Mark Worthington. It happened in 2006 in Japan with Jason Smith, Russell Hinder, Luke Kendall, Mark Worthington, Dave Barlow, CJ Bruton (all players from Goorjians system). And it is happening again now, with 5 Kings selected in the 12. Only two of which have any real chance of making our Olympic squad (Saville and Worthington).
I suppose time will tell, and in a fortnights time we will know if the gamble of choosing in effect, a champion team over a team of champions!
Go Boomers!
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