Two weeks ago I outlined my favourites for the 2012 Olympic basketball gold medal so this week I thought I would go through my Australian team for the tournament. There is one twist, as only players who are competing in the NBL at the moment qualify for selection. I have picked a fifteen man squad with three players for each position to go into battle with the best of the best.
Point Guard
Starting PG – Adam Gibson (Gold Coast)
Gibson may be having a down year by his standards but he is still the premiere point in the league. His previous experience with the Boomers will be vital and standing 188cm he won’t be pushed around by the opposing PGs.
First Bench PG – Rhys Martin (Wollongong)
The one shining light out of Wollongong, Martin has become an outstanding distributor. In only nine games this season he has had two nine assist games and a seven assist game but with the dearth of scoring on the Hawks team he has had to pick up his offensive game even more. Put him with better scoring options and sit back and watch his fantastic point play.
Second Bench PG – Brad Robbins (Perth)
He may not be the best shooter, in fact he is probably in the lower half of the league but his defence is unavoidable. His grit and determination is top class and every team needs a hardnosed defender to nullify opposing guards. He may not be able to shoot well but he can still get to the rack and battle with the trees.
Shooting Guard
Starting SG – Stephen Weigh (Adelaide)
I would class Weigh as a SF but he is definitely capable of manning this position and it gives the team some extra height to battle the bigger teams out there (USA, Spain). The 36er can also spread the floor which will be imperative for the team’s big men who need space to do their work.
First Bench SG – Aaron Bruce (Sydney)
Even though I am not a huge fan of Bruce and have been quite critical I must admit that if he plays with disciple he can be a great asset. His shooting can change games and the team will need another ball handler in some games to break full court presses.
Second Bench SG – Brad Hill (Cairns)
Hill starting the season like a NBA Live game with cheat codes. Having multiple high quality games in a row people were looking at him for an All-NBL selection. However his last four games he has gone 6/24 and fallen off the face of the Earth. I am taking a gamble here as I’m banking on having the Brad Hill from earlier in the season that did everything.
Small Forward
Starting SF – Peter Crawford (Townsville)
The pickings for SF were slim but Crawford is one guy I would select straight away. He will be the glue of the team as he does just about everything a coach wants him to do. He shoots well and is deadly from outside the arc, he can rebound, pass, defend and just be a nuisance if needs be. It may not be a glamorous job but someone needs to be that guy who just fits with the team.
First Bench SF – Mark Worthington (Gold Coast) [Captain]
I was tossing up between putting Worthington as a PF or SF, and even considering putting him in the starting SF position but I believe this is where he will fit best. That doesn’t mean that he is a bench warmer as I want Worthington to be a ‘super-sub’ who comes off the bench but gets starters minutes in both the forward positions. His objective? To do what he does best, rebound and hit big shots and lead from the front which is why I have selected him to captain this squad.
Second Bench SF – Anatoly Bose (Sydney)
The young King is a bombshell, even being designated the nickname ‘An Atomic Bomb’ because he can score quickly and from anywhere. He isn’t quite at the point where he can be counted on for big minutes at this level but a cameo here and there will go a long way for this team.
Power Forward
Starting PF – Cameron Tragardh (Melbourne)
Trigger has shown that he is more than capable of leading a team from the front. He will need to reach another level to compete with the best PFs in the world as he might be going up against Luis Scola, Pau Gasol and god forbid, Dirk Nowitzki. But right now, he is the best PF in the NBL, no question.
First Bench PF – Jacob Holmes (Townsville)
Every team needs a rebounder and there isn’t many better than Holmes. He is the yin to Tragardh’s yang and young Jacob can make up for Trigger’s weaknesses. His scoring and passing skills are two delicious cherries on the top of the sundae.
Second Bench PF – Shawn Redhage (Perth)
Another bench player who will get more minutes than his depth chart rank dictates, Redhage is a hell of a player and will make this team move smoother. He is a cool customer which will help the team when it gets into hot water. I’m 99% sure that he has dual citizenship which will allow him to play for Australia but if someone can confirm this then I would put him above Holmes as the first PF off the bench.
Centre
Starting C – Julian Khazzouh (Sydney)
The best player in the NBL bar none and far and away the best Australian. If Sydney used him more than they would be in a better state but that is going off topic. Khazzouh should be in the real Boomers squad and should have a breaking out party in 2012 being guided by Andrew Bogut. Khazzouh should be the focal point of this team if they want to compete.
First Bench C – Daniel Johnson (Adelaide)
He is really blossoming into a legit star player this season and should continue to grow. Has a silky smooth jumper that will stretch some centres and likes to battle for rebounds. I have put him as the first bench C not because I think he is better than the next centre but I want to see what he can do at the biggest basketball tournament in the world.
Second Bench C – Luke Schenscher (Townsville)
Still injured at the moment so I haven’t had a chance to see him in action this season but he will be healthy by the time the Olympics roll around. The tall red head knows about playing on the big stage which will go a long way in teaching Johnson the way of the Olympics.
Coach – Rob Beveridge
His ability to direct players while also letting them play will be paramount to a team that will most likely be overmatched in talent. The players need to work as a team rather than rely on individual greatness.
As you can see the team is lacking genuine talent in a lot of areas, especially at the two. Which is understandable as that position is usually taken up by Brad Newley and/or Joe Ingles who went to Europe to work on their game. I believe I have compiled a good list of newcomers and old hats which spreads out the experience levels but this just my opinion and you might have a completely different team.
Do you have any changes to the team? Don’t believe that someone should be in the team or another player is too low? Tell me your team in the comments section below.
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