The full Boomers squad will include Mitch McCarron, who is returning after a winning stint in Slovenia, and nine players from five NBL clubs, eight of which competed in the last FIBA qualifiers window.
“We have said all along that this FIBA format means the Boomers group is now bigger than ever and needs to be fluid,” said Boomers head coach Andrej Lemanis.
“Maintaining the connection throughout the entire group is challenging, so the inclusion of Delly and Thon is a wonderful way for us to continue to grow as an entire team.
“For the guys who have carried the load through the first two windows, it will be a great experience for them to play with both Delly and Thon.
“The skill set and experience they will add to the team is exciting for all of us and it will be interesting to watch how this team comes together in a short space of time.
“Delly has been a part of the Boomers program for a long time now and understands the culture and it will be a good opportunity for Thon to add his influence.”
“It is also really exciting for the Sudanese community who now call Australia home. Thon is a wonderful representative and role model who will inspire others to strive for success in their chosen field.”
Despite the Boomers being unbeaten through four games, Lemanis is preparing for two difficult games on the road.
“We know it is going to be difficult playing Japan and the Philippines at their respective venues.
“We saw how loud it was when we played in Melbourne with the Filipino fans dominating the environment and with a stadium capacity of 50,000, that game is something all the guys are looking forward to.”
“International basketball is always great basketball played to a very high level. We will need to play well to give ourselves an opportunity for success. In the end, we need to stay focused on playing Boomer basketball.”
The Boomers will head into camp in Melbourne on June 21 before departing for Japan on June 25. Following their game on June 29 they will then travel to the Philippines on June 30 for their last game of the first round on July 2.
