Basketball: Six Olympians in Boomers test squad

By DAVID LEGGAT

Australia have named a formidable squad for this weekend's three-test series against the Tall Blacks, starting in Hamilton tomorrow night.

The Boomers are led by three-time Olympian Shane Heal and include four others from the squad that finished fourth at the Sydney Games in 2000 - Martin Cattalani and Brett Maher from the Adelaide 36ers, Jason Smith of the Sydney Kings and Paul Rogers from the Spanish club Girona.

Maher and Tony Ronaldson were also in Atlanta eight years ago.

Maher returns after struggling with a back injury and coach Brian Goorjian is delighted he is fit to tour.

The world No 7 Boomers warmed up with a five-game tour to Italy last month, which produced two wins over Croatia and one against France, but exposed one shortcoming.

"The Italian tour demonstrated that we were a guard short, so I'm looking forward to seeing the progression of Brett Maher during the three games in New Zealand," Goorjian said. "We learned a lot from the tour to Italy.

"As a group we're getting closer and tighter as we approach the Games in Athens."

Perhaps most interest will focus on teenager Andrew Bogut.

The 2.08m 19-year-old is at the University of Utah and is tipped as Australia's next big thing on the basketball court, with America's NBA beckoning.

Australia's Athens squad is due to be named next Tuesday.

The last time the teams met, in Geelong and Melbourne last September in the Olympic series to decide first and second qualifiers for Athens, resulted in a 3-0 clean sweep for Australia - 79-66, 90-76 and 84-75.

The Tall Blacks Olympic squad will be named at the end of the Australian series.

Transtasman rivals shape up

Boomers: Shane Heal (c, Kasani, Greece), David Andersen (Montepaschi Siena, Italy), Andrew Bogut (University of Utah, US), Martin Cattalini, Brett Maher (Adelaide 36ers), Matthew Nielsen, C.J. Bruton, Jason Smith (Sydney Kings), John Rillie (Townsville Crocs), Paul Rogers (Girona, Spain), Tony Ronaldson (Perth Wildcats), Glen Saville (Illawarra Hawks).

Tall Blacks: Pero Cameron (c, Waikato Titans), Ed Book, Phill Jones (Nelson Giants), Craig Bradshaw (Winthrop University, US), Dillon Boucher, Mike Homik, Aaron Olson, Lindsay Tait (Auckland Stars), Mark Dickel (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Paul Henare, Paora Winitana (Hawke's Bay Hawks), Troy McLean, Brendon Polyblank (Wellington Saints), Tony Rampton (Cairns Taipans), Chris Reay (Southern Methodist University, US).