Basketball Australia (BA) today announced the team of 12 players for the FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers to be held in Okinawa, Japan this month.
The team includes some exciting graduates from the Centre of Excellence including Kyle Zunic who was instrumental in multiple conference championships at Winthrop University. Zunic is joined by Jaylin Galloway, Akoldah Gak and David Okwera who played together in the U19s Emus at the 2021 World Cup in Latvia. Fellow Centre of Excellence graduate Alexander Mundronja will reunite with coach Beveridge where they won a bronze medal at the World University Games in Italy.
The youngest member of the team Tyrese Proctor at only 17 is an NBA Global Academy athlete who played in the FIBA window against New Zealand in Cairns for the Boomers. The exciting 6ft 4 guard is in hot demand with multiple US colleges making him an offer.
The team will be joined by an international contingent including Nick Kay, Angus Brandt and Rhys Vague from the Japanese B League and Makuach Maluach and Craig Moller from their respective clubs in Finland and Germany.
The team will be completed with Centre of Excellence graduate and Illawarra Hawks point guard Emmett Naar who will suit up for the Boomers for the first time.
Head Coach Rob Beveridge is looking forward to the opportunity for the Boomers in Japan.
“We are really pleased with the final team of 12 that we have selected for the games against Chinese Taipei and Japan. We have a blend of players that have international playing experience as well as a group of up and coming players with huge potential. I’m super excited to be reunited with Boomer Nick Kay who will take on a senior role as a leader of this group.”
Event Dates
25 February- AUS v CHINESE TAIPEI
27 February – AUS v JAPAN
28 February- CHINESE TAIPEI v AUS
Location- OKINAWA ARENA- OKINAWA JAPAN
FIBA BASKETBALL WORLD CUP ASIAN QUALIFIERS TEAM
| ZUNIC | KYLE | Perth Wildcats |
| MUDRONJA | ALEXANDER | Illawarra Hawks |
| PROCTOR | TYRESE | NBA GA Academy |
| GALLOWAY | JAYLIN | Sydney Kings |
| GAK | AKOLDAH | Illawarra Hawks |
| OKWERA | DAVID | Melbourne United |
| KAY | NICHOLAS | Shimane Susanoo Magic |
| BRANDT | ANGUS | Kagawa Five Arrows |
| VAGUE | RHYS | Kagawa Five Arrows |
| NAAR | EMMETT | Illawarra Hawks |
| MALUACH | MAKUACH | Korikouvot (FIN) |
| MOLLER | CRAIG | Wuerzburg (GER) |
HEAD COACH- ROB BEVERIDGE
ASSISTANT COACHES- ROBBIE McKINLAY AND MIKE KELLY
In the spirit of reconciliation Basketball Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.