Basketball: Loe leaps into world selection

Rob Loe is starting to see the rewards of the extra training and coaching provided through the academy programme. Photo / Getty Images

Breakers academy basketballer Rob Loe has been named in a world selection to play in the US's premier annual basketball game for high school age boys.

The World Select Team to play in the Nike Summit, which features 10 players from nine countries across four continents, has many players with international basketball experience.

The World squad has been assembled by Nike's consultant of global basketball Rich Sheubrooks, after consulting with general managers, clubs, federations, scouts and coaches from around the world.

Breakers head coach Andrej Lemanis is delighted for Loe but also for the part the academy programme at the Breakers is playing in developing young players.

"I am pleased to see Rob continue to grow and be rewarded with this international recognition for what is a high quality game in front of a big audience.

"Since joining the Breakers' academy we have seen Rob mature from a guy with plenty of potential to a young man who is starting to understand what it means to be a great basketball player. The extra training and coaching provided through the academy programme helped Rob not only develop his basketball skills, but has also taught him the importance of off-court disciplines.

"He is now starting to see the rewards of that hard work with great performances last year on the world stage at the FIBA under-19 World Championships, interest from US colleges and now an invitation to a world select team - pretty impressive.

"We look forward to continuing to work with Rob and watch his development over the coming years.

"We hope that he can obtain his dream of becoming an NBA player - but we also would love to see Rob back home in a Breakers uniform when he has completed his college career," Lemanis said.

The World Team will be led for the sixth consecutive year by respected Australian national teams coach Rob Beveridge.

Beveridge is coach of the Perth Wildcats in Australia's NBL and recently led the club to the national championship.

WORLD TEAM

Guards: Cory Joseph (6'3", Findlay Prep, Nevada/Canada), Duje Dukan (6'8", Deerfield HS, Illinois/Croatia), Sui Ran (6'4", Shandong Flaming Bulls/ China) and Jason Cadee (6'0", Australian Institute of Sport / Australia).

Forwards: Tristan Thompson (6'10", Findlay Prep, Nevada/Canada), Enes Kanter (6'10", Stoneridge Prep, California/Turkey) Nikola Mirotic (6'10", Faymasa Palencia/Spain) and Mael Lebrun (6'6", Entente Orleans/France).

Centres: Dejan Musli (7'0", FMP Zeleznik/Serbia) and Robert Loe (7'0", JTB/Breakers/New Zealand).