Australian Boomers Team Announced for World Cup Qualifier

NBL Champion and Grand Final Series MVP Xavier Cooks headlines the Australian Boomers team that will head to Kazakhstan to play the fifth window of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers next month.

Cooks is an exciting inclusion into the team, and this will be his first time suiting up for the Boomers since making the Tokyo 2020 Olympics squad.

Including Cooks, there are eight NBL players in the team: Todd Blanchfield, Sam Froling, Mitch McCarron, Jack McVeigh, Mitch Norton, Luke Travers and Dejan Vasiljevic.

Nine of the players from the August qualifying window have been recalled, including Perth Wildcats Norton, Blanchfield and Travers, and Sydney King  Vasiljevic. McVeigh will return to the green and gold after last representing them in Melbourne earlier this year.

2022 FIBA Asia Cup gold medallists, Mitch McCarron and Sam Froling, will reunite for their fourth campaign after notching up three undefeated performances in the green and gold.

Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist, Nick Kay will return for his third window following his success as captain in the Okinawa and Bendigo windows. He will be joined by fellow Japanese B. League player Angus Brandt.

Centre of Excellence athletes Alex Toohey and Rory Hawke have received the call-up following their debuts in Bendigo.

FIBA Asia Cup gold medal winning head coach Mike Kelly will be joined by assistant coaches Jacob Chance (Tasmanian JackJumpers) and Jamie Pearlman (Adelaide 36ers).

Kelly is looking to maintain the Boomers unbeaten record in this window.  

“We have an exciting Boomers group heading to Kazakhstan for this important World Cup Qualifier,” Kelly said.

“It’s great to have continuity within the team and a great mix of experience and youth. These players have been playing well in Australia and Japan recently and are ready to team up to play at the highest level for Australia.

The Boomers will play one game against Kazakhstan on Saturday 12 November 2022.

The NBL season will pause for the FIBA window continuing the league’s support of the Boomers to ensure the best players and coaches available. 

BOOMERS TEAM: FIBA WCQ WINDOW 5
- Todd Blanchfield
- Angus Brandt
- Xavier Cooks
- Sam Froling
- Rory Hawke
- Nick Kay
- Mitch McCarron
- Jack McVeigh
- Mitch Norton
- Alex Toohey
- Luke Travers
- Dejan Vasiljevic