Boomers eyeing the next big hit!

Stephen Howell wrote a great article today...

Boomers eyeing the next big hit

Wednesday, August 22, 2007 - 10:24 AM
Stephen Howell - The Age

Debutant Patrick Mills was a quick hit with fans in the Boomers' Olympic qualifier against New Zealand in Melbourne this week, and by the Beijing Games next year, there could be a second indigenous player in the team who is built to be an even bigger hit.

The player being eyed by coach Brian Goorjian to come into the 12 with 181-centimetre Mills is his 20-year-old mate, Nathan Jawai — all 203 centimetres and 130 kilograms of him.

In fact, if Jawai had not been recovering from a knee injury and getting his weight down after it ballooned to 140 kilograms, he might have been in the team alongside the explosive Mills already, as the first indigenous members of the national senior side since Mills' uncle, Danny Morseu, in the 1980s.

That is the view of Goorjian and former Boomers assistant Alan Black, who will coach Jawai in his National Basketball League debut with Cairns Taipans in the season starting next month.


"I wanted Patrick involved in the program now," Goorjian said.

"I saw him as maybe No. 11 or No. 12 (the likely learner spots in Beijing), as I did Nathan Jawai. Succession planning is important and we need two or three young ones in there for the following games (the world championships in 2010)."

Mills had a third season at the Australian Institute of Sport in his home town, Canberra, last year, whereas Jawai, who came to Cairns from Barnaga in far north Queensland as a 15-year-old identified by Australian football scouts, left the institute for the US.

He came home at Christmas, 14 games into his rookie season with Midland College, a junior school in Texas, after injuring his knee. He signed for two seasons with the Taipans. His knee is better now, but he has had to fight back to fitness after letting his weight go.

Black said he would wait until Jawai produced on court in the NBL before labelling him a future league star and national team player, but said he had the potential to reach those lofty levels.

"He's still learning," Black said. "He wasn't a basketball kid … when he came down here (to Cairns), all the basketball people said come and play a real game, and he did.

"He's big and powerful, but he's quite a bit different to anything we've seen in Australia — he's got quick feet and he's got good hands."

Goorjian had a comparison to draw on. "He looks like Shaq," he said, putting up American giant Shaquille O'Neal as Jawai's type.

"He's powerful, he's a beast. I think that kid's gonna draw more attention (than Mills). People will come out just to look at him.

"Those are the two I wanted. I wanted Jawai before I wanted him (Mills), but he's matured real quick in the past 12 months."

For now, the focus is on Mills as he already is a Boomer.

The hope is Jawai is a boomer, too.



I took the opportunity to introduce myself to Nathan late last year when he'd travelled to Melbourne to see his mate Joe Ingles play live for the South Dragons. He was very courteous and seemed a little surprised I knew who he was. Now, add these two prospects, with Joe Ingles and there you have the three players that should make the Olympic squad next year that Goorjian speaks of. All three have experience playing together at the AIS, and from what I can tell (and Myspace can be accurately relied on) are the best of friends...

Things look very exciting for the Boomers 2008 and Beyond!

Dear Basketball Australia...

I've got to get something off my chest. Last night the Boomers defeated a very talented NZ team, but as a spectacle it was atrocious.

The NBL in Melbourne does such a great job, I assumed that an International clash of this importance would have been even better, but frankly, it stank.

The announcer for the game was neither of the great entertainers from the Melbourne NBL clubs, The Rattler from the Tigers or Glenn Manton from the Dragons. Both would have been perfect to help get the crowd into the game. Snory Mc SnoozeFest, (apparently a Dandenong announcer?) was not the right choice. Little things make a huge difference, and this whole spectacle wreaked of unprofessionalism. Where was the music, where were the cheerleaders, where were the sound effects after a missed free throw or turnover... Who doesn't love a "Bum-Bow" - (or however it's spelt), or a "Doh!"... These are little things that lighten the mood and get the crowd involved. Even the halftime and timeout games showed the imagination of children.

The stadium was half full, and it felt like it. No Mexican Wave, one half hearted Aussie Aussie Aussie. Terrible. Help was needed.






I've been to some wonderful Boomers games before, (Hell, I travelled to Japan last year just to go to the Games and support) the atmosphere has been electric. Not so last night, and considering the importance of the outcome it should have been.

Unfortunately, all of the parents in the crowd last night, that were contemplating making this a night out for the family over the coming NBL season, would surely be dreading exhibitions like this. All of the people I spoke with there were bored. It was embarrassing. The people I know from Basketball Australia circles were looking at each other and saying things like, "this just doesn't seem right."

The game didn't end up being close, but considering the lack of support from the organisers, they were lucky. On a Monday night, with half of your crowd school aged children, it didn't surprise me that it was so quiet and it could have been worse. I sat right next to Shane Heal, commenting for fox sports or NZ Sports of something, and he looked bored out of his brain. Certainly nothing like his usual self. Something else was needed and Basketball Australia let Melbourne and basketball in this country down. BIG TIME.

Here's hoping they turn things around for games two and three, but they blew it for us in Melbourne. I can't wait for the NBL to start so I can drag my friends back again and prove that not all basketball in this country is this draining.

Thanks for your time

Ryan

I hope Goorjian knows what he's doing.

By Ryan Mobilia

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!

LJ47 has my heart...

Lauren Jackson is a superduperstar.

Although she will never get the recognition of some of Australia's other favourite athletes. She is the absolute best women's basketball player ever. Women's basketball certainly doesn't get the coverage it should, but neither does mens ball in Australia at least. In the states it's a bit different, Mens College and the NBA Leagues recieve all of the attention, but more than the attention, the respect! (See my post last month on the sendup of the WNBA)
I love Lauren Jackson, but not in the same way that I love my girlfriend, or say, a Red Rooster Strip Sub... but more in the way I love Andrew Gaze, or any other Australian competing versus the world... She is amazing.

I won't go into the long list of accolades that this women of mid twenties has acheived, I'm here just to let you know how I feel, and about another amazing feat she performed this week.

As stated on WNBA:

"Although her team lost by a point in overtime to the Mystics, Jackson tied Phoenix's Diana Taurasi for the most points ever scored in a WNBA game by finishing with 47.
She made a league-record 18 field goals, pulled down 14 rebounds and committed just one turnover in a straight-out-of-a-video game performance.

The forward/center knocked down jumpers and attacked the basket on the way to coverting 18-of-28 shots. She scored 33 points after intermission and connected on 16 of her first 20 attempts.

Her previous career high for points was 35.

Jackson is the greatest female basketball player to ever live. There, I said it. I dare you to prove me wrong."

In scoring 47 points in a single overtime game, in such a low scoring league, my love for her grew, like the pressure that now grows thorughout the WNBA to catch her in the race to her second MVP award this season!



Thanks to WNBA.com:

Race to the MVP - Overall Player Rankings 1. Lauren Jackson, Seattle
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT%
23.8 10.1 1.3 0.9 2.0 .517 .868

Last Week's Rank - 1
Barring injury, there is no way that Jackson doesn't win the league's biggest individual award. She is first in points and second in rebounds and blocked shots.


2. Deanna Nolan, Detroit
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT%
17.7 3.9 4.3 1.5 0.4 .480 .804

Last Week's Rank - 3
Cheryl Ford is hurt again, but with the way that Nolan is playing, it might not even matter. The Shock have won seven in a row. On Tuesday, she had 36 points and seven assists.


3. Tamika Catchings, Indiana
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT%
16.6 9.0 4.7 3.1 1.1 .417 .820

Last Week's Rank - 2
Catchings' MVP worth has actually gone up since she has been on the sidelines. Without their superstar, the Fever have lost three in a row.


4. Becky Hammon, San Antonio
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT%
19.1 2.7 5.2 1.1 0.2 .477 .938

Last Week's Rank - 4
The Silver Stars, who have won seven of eight, have been the biggest surprise of the season and Hammon deserves a lot of the credit for their turnaround.


5. Diana Taurasi, Phoenix
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT%
17.2 4.1 4.1 1.3 1.0 .409 .856

Last Week's Rank - 5
Taurasi is scoring less, but the team is winning more. Her other numbers across the board have been outstanding.


6. Katie Douglas, Connecticut
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT%
17.8 4.5 4.0 2.0 0.3 .445 .800

Last Week's Rank - 8
After a terrible start to the season, the Sun are the team most likely to upset the Shock in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Douglas is the top option for the always dangerous club.


7. Sophia Young, San Antonio
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT%
15.9 6.1 1.3 1.3 0.4 .491 .750

Last Week's Rank - 10
Young, who has reached double-digits in points in nine straight games, is one of the key players for the West-leading Silver Stars.


8. Candice Dupree, Chicago
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT%
18.0 7.6 1.5 0.9 1.3 .456 .780

Last Week's Rank - 9
A strong case could have been made in the beginning of the season that Dupree was the most dominant player in the WNBA. She has been struggling lately, failing to score at least 20 points in six straight games.


9. Alana Beard, Washington
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT%
18.6 4.0 3.1 2.0 0.9 .419 .825

Last Week's Rank - 12
The Mystics are making a late charge towards the postseason thanks to the all-around play of Beard.


10. Penny Taylor, Phoenix (ANOTHER AUSSIE!)
PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% FT%
17.7 6.3 2.7 1.3 0.4 .500 .862

Last Week's Rank - 13
Yes, Diana Taurasi is still the heart and soul of the team, but Taylor has been arguably the best offensive player in the league in the past 11 games.


On the Outside Looking In (season averages - last week's rank)
11. Cheryl Ford (Detroit): 13.0 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 1.5 APG - (6)
12. Rebekkah Brunson (Sacramento): 11.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 0.8 APG - (7)
13. Asjha Jones (Connecticut): 15.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.7 APG - (11)
14. Tina Thompson (Houston): 18.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.8 APG - (14)
15. Lindsay Whalen (Connecticut): 13.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.0 APG - (Unranked)


Stop there. I know you're thinking it. Don't. "Why has she only won one MVP award then if she's so good?" WELL... since you asked anyway... Basically, she has not been fit enough, due to her hectic schudule and unwavering commitment to the Australian National team the Opals in her supposed "off time"! Couple that with the fact that she is always double teamed and routinely TRIPLE TEAMED, she still has been runnerup or close to it in recent years.

Now she is healthy, finally, and tearing the league apart!



Coach Anne Donovan was asked last week what it would be like if Seattle's Lauren Jackson got single coverage in a WNBA game.

"I think she would score 50 -- and I'm sincere about that," she said.

"She's not someone I want to play 38 minutes," Donovan said earlier this month. "Thirty-six, OK. But when it gets to be more than that, she gets tired because she doesn't know how to pace herself. She plays so dang hard."

Once again, just look at what she did in this game:

"Playing 42 of the 45 minutes, Jackson shot 18-28 from the field and 9-11 from the free-throw line, while grabbing 14 rebounds.
It was only the fifth time a player had scored 40 or more points in a WNBA game.

Jackson's effort of 47 points, eclipsing her WNBA best of 35, tied the WNBA record of Phoenix Mercury's Diana Taurasi in a 111-110 triple-overtime win against the Houston Comets last year.

The dominance of Jackson was underlined by her 33 points in the second half, including a stretch of 23 of 27, while she opened by making 16 of her first 20 shots.

Not surprisingly, Jackson hit two free-throws with 3.2sec left in regulation to send the game into OT, but the Storm (12-12) could not overcome Alana Beard's 27 points to steer the Mystics (10-13) to a win."

Just watch this clip of Highlights from the game and tell me you don't love her too!

I DARE YOU!



http://broadband.wnba.com/cc/playa.php?content=video&url=http://wnba-boss.streamos.com/wmedia/wnba/wnba/recaps/jackson_l_record_47points_070724.asx&contentpath=http://wnba-boss.streamos.com/wmedia/wnba/wnba/recaps/jackson_l_record_47points_070724.asx&secondClick=1&wnbasite=

For more on LJ visit her website, www.laurenjackson.org

JESS BEARZATTO - Wildcat to Lady BearCat!

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After being noticed by a number of scouts in the Under 18 National Championship, Jessica started down the path that has led to a College career, travel and accolades she could never have envisaged when she first picked up a ball for the Wildcats. She now plays guard for another type of cat, the Brecia University Lady Bearcats!

Growing up Jessica always wanted to be like her older brothers, but it didn’t take long for her competitive side to take over. She wanted not only to be like them, but better than them! Now, this young lady has taken her all of that determination and desire with her to the USA, and is playing College basketball in the sports mad state of Kentucky! That’s right, Kentucky famous in the US as the home of horseracing, Fried Chicken and College Sports, now Eltham Wildcat player Jess Bearzatto, is staking her claim to join the list!

Below are Jess’s responses to my questions to her via email, regarding life, sport, the Wildcats and dealing with College Basketball in Kentucky!


How old were you when you first became involved with the Wildcats?
Started when I was 7, in Under 8’s.

Who was your biggest basketball influence growing up ? Why?
My brothers. They all played and that was the reason I started to play. All I wanted to do was to be like them and play basketball as well. And of course to be better than them at it!

Biggest influence from the Wildcats?
It would be hard to name just one but my coaches throughout my junior career, notably Marissa Phillipou and Michael Spoor who both coached me through some great team and personal successes.

Favourite Wildcats related memory?
Winning my first Victorian Title in U16 with Marissa as our coach. But the second one was also as sweet in U18s.

Was college basketball always a dream? When did you know it could be a possibility?
Yes it was always a dream when it began being talked about for career pathways. I guess the first time I new it could become a possibility was at the U18 nationals when there were a few scouts there and fellow teammates were being approached and given offers after the titles. But as I was not in my ‘senior year’ (year 12) at that stage they could not approach me due to the NCAA rules.

Have you encountered home sickness? How do you keep in touch with home and Australia in general?
Homesickness was a big thing for be at the beginning. Just being away from family and friends killed me. The first few months were pretty hard but as friendships strengthened with the new friends I made it became easier. I kept in touch with friends and family through phone calls, emails, myspace, text messages etc. But both my parents and I bought a webcam so I was able to see my parents and brothers regularly through the webcam which was great!


How have you overcome/enjoyed the crowds/attention college basketball attracts?
The amount of attention college basketball or any college sports receives in America is amazing. Where I am (Kentucky) college basketball is far more popular than the NBA, so its huge! Its good that everyone gets so involved with it and gets behind you but some games the crowds can get very verbal and when you’re the away team, its normally at directed my team. I just normally laugh it off and it makes me want to win more and play better to shut the crowd up!

How do you handle training and doing school work? What are you studying outside of playbooks?
I handle the trainings and school work quite well. Preseason normally involves a lot more early morning sessions than when we are in season, so many afternoons involve a nap from the lack of sleep. During season when were on the road it’s a bit harder, but you just have to be organized. This year my study was just all general subjects as in America you need to complete so many hours of ‘general education’ classes, which are mostly fairly easy. So the load wasn’t to hard for me my first year but I can imagine it will be more as I have less general subjects to complete.

How did this particular school find you? (Any past Aussies that have been there?)
My coach (Sean Page) is actually an Australian and had previously been the assistant coach at Troy University were 5 other Australians are currently playing there (including Amy Lewis, ex Eltham teammate). So previously Troy had looked at me the year before, then Coach Page got the Head Coach position at Brescia and rung me up.

What are your plans after College? Basketball wise and other?
Not sure what my plans after college are but I will hopefully be playing at a higher level in Australia than what I was before I left for college as well as having a degree in some form of rehabilitation.

What is the best advice you were ever given regarding basketball and/or life?‘Sacrifice for the Pinnacle’ – This way my U16 team motto when we won the title. You have to sacrifice to get to the top and to be at the top.


If you would like to learn more about the College that Jessica attends or the League she plays in, visit the team website www.brescia.edu/bearcats/basketball/women/, or if you would like to contact myself or Jessica regarding any of this information, write to;

Ryan Mobilia at
ryanmobilia@yahoo.com.au