Australia to join FIBA-Asia?

SYDNEY – It appears that Australia will become a permanent entry in FIBA-Asia and in 2017, the Land Down Under is expected to compete at the FIBA-Asia U-19 Championships where the top three finishers advance to the biennial World Cup. That’s the word from Australian U-19 coach Damian Cotter who arrived recently from Prague where the 16-nation FIBA U-19 World Cup was held.

Australia left the Oceania zone to play in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 2006. In FIBA, it still plays in Oceania with New Zealand and 19 other countries or states, including Guam, Marshall Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, New Caledonia, Palau and Vanuatu.

Cotter said initially, Australia may be brought in for the FIBA-Asia U-19 Championships in 2017. He speculated that within 10 years, Australia will be a full-fledged member of FIBA-Asia as it is now in the AFC which is a FIFA affiliate. FIBA held its first World U-19 Championships in 1979 and the tournament was held every four years until 2007 when it became biennial. The Philippines participated in only the inaugural World U-19 Championships and finished 10th. Among the MVPs in the World Cup were Croatia’s Toni Kukoc in 1987, Russia’s Andrei Kirilenko in 1999 and Australia’s Andrew Bogut in 2003.

Cotter said three Asian countries played at the recent FIBA U-19 World Championships – China, Iran and South Korea. China finished seventh after beating Croatia, 94-80, Iran was 11th after downing Argentina, 79-68, and South Korea didn’t make it beyond the first round of eliminations. Cotter said China showed remarkable improvement with Chinese coach Wang Huaiyu who didn’t scream at his players, wasn’t abusive and only motivated them to operate as a unit. He mentioned the Chinese guards were particularly impressive. China was led by 6-3 Yuan Shuai and 6-6 Gao Shang who both averaged over 18 points.

At the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) where he is head basketball coach, Cotter welcomed 22 players, including 12 girls, to the one-year scholarship program last Thursday. At least eight are holdovers from the previous year. The players will study in their respective schools but report for training twice a week during weekdays and on weekends at the NSWIS center in the Olympic Park. The NSWIS is the springboard for Australian players to advance to the next level, either to a US NCAA school or Australia’s pro league NBL or the NBA D-League or the NBA itself.

Cotter said NSWIS players in the US often return for summer training during the offseason. Among the players in town are 6-7 Phil Chircu of Whitman College in Washington and 6-10 Angus Brandt of Oregon State. NSWIS graduates moving to the US and working out at the moment at the center are 6-3 Brianan Kentwell of Howard College, Texas, 5-6 Demi Tomlinson of Long Island University and 6-8 Harrison Goodrick of Metro State, Denver. A player awaiting confirmation from a US school is 6-2 Ben Kearins of Penrith.

Brandt, 23, said there are 10 to 20 Australians enrolled in NCAA Division I schools. He was promoted as a first stringer in the last two games of his freshman season with Oregon State in 2009-10 then started in 60 of his next 69 games, including four this past campaign before suffering an ACL tear in his right knee. Brandt, the varsity captain, will return to play for Oregon State this coming campaign.

Cotter said Brandt’s work ethic has brought him close to realizing his dream of someday playing in the NBA like countryman Andrew Bogut. “When he trained at NSWIS, he took a four-hour round trip by train from home to the gym and back for a one-hour workout thrice a week,” said Cotter. “That shows you his willingness to sacrifice to get better. Angus can shoot the ball and for a big guy, he can spread the floor which makes him tough to defend by other bigs.”

Brandt said during his freshman season, he did extra workouts on game days. “I knew I wouldn’t get to play much so I worked out two hours before the start of a game to get a leg up on my teammates,” he said. “I got myself ready to play when coach (Craig Robinson) called. NSWIS made me what I am today. My dream is to play at the highest level and whether I’ll be drafted in the NBA or not depends on how I do this coming season. When I’m 28, I hope I’ll be enjoying a successful pro career with a stable means of livelihood. I’m taking up a physiotherapy course and when I’m done playing, I plan to be involved in physiotherapy and strength and conditioning.”

Brandt said in 2011, he played at the World University Games in China and watched the Philippine team in a game against Russia. “I think the Philippines was up by a point at the half then Russia came back and blew them away,” he said. “I was given a chance by NSWIS to develop as a basketball player and I’m grateful for the opportunity. Someday, I hope to play for the Australian senior national team. I’ve worked hard to be in this position. I played high school in Chicago and was recruited to play for Oregon State. I’m undergoing rehab for my injury but I should be ready to play when the next season opens.”