Hoops

big luke and bogut ??

Beantown, I would argue we have depoth at the Power Forward and Centre positions. We can pick from guys like:

Centre / Power Forwards
- Andrew Bogut
- David Andersen
- Luke Schenscher
- Nathan Jawai
- Andrew Ogilvy
- Luke Nevill
- Chris Anstey

Huge depth when you put the names down on paper - the days where names like Russell Hinder get a game for Australia at centre or forward are long gone based on the above list alone.

As for small forwards and guards, unfortunately we are not blessed with as much depth. SF continues to look like a major problem. Some names off the top of my head at the top of the list of candidates for the Boomers would be:

Small Forward
Shaun Redhage (age)
Sam Mackinnon (age)
Joe Ingles (can play guard)

Guards
Patty Mills
Brad Newley

CJ Bruton (age)
Aaron Bruce
Jason Harvey
Damien Ryan
Adam Gibson

What do others think?

Just found this thread again, so a late reply for ya Skull, but I agree with your comment about our guards. They took awhile to find their feet. Newley eventually showed that he has what it takes to be a pretty good international guard. He and Mills will make a pretty decent backcourt for the next few years.

Between those two and Bogut, we have some quality to build around. If only we could find a strong, athletic SF in the Mackinnon mould (I fear Sammy Mac's basketball days are rapidly drawing to a close) we would be in very good shape.

In the meantime it may be some combo of Ingles and Barlow - perhaps Ballinger/ Redhage could be considered as options too if we need a little more beef!

Other than that, we seem to have unusually good depth emerging at the other positions. Mills, Newls, Bruce, Ingles as guards. Bogut, Jawai, Schensch, Anderson, Ogilvy, Nielsen and Anstey (for another year or two).

Skull, you are right - the athletic MacKinnon type SF was the biggest thing we were missing at the last Olympics. We sorely missed his mobile rebounding and defence.

Before the last Olympics, I would have said Anstey's shooting gives him the edge too, however the Boomers proved during the Olympics that they have no idea how to utilise a big man with that skill!

Since they don't know how to use Anstey, they might as well get a guy like Schenscher in there who isn't a complete marshmallow on defence and has more than 2 years left as a good player!

And speaking of the offensively challenged Boomers. Wouldn't it be great if we could contract a top US college coach during our Winter (when they are also in their offseason) to teach the Boomers how to exploit mismatches and attack a zone internationally? No-one in Australia (incl Goorjian) seems to know how to do it!

Its a close one between Luke and Anstey/ Andersen for the Boomers. Anstey is more mobile and a better range shooter, as is Andersen, but both are very easily moved by big centres on the defensive end and neither of them block shots either. Anstey is also getting long in the tooth!

Luke still has a lot to learn and room for improvement, but I think he has a lot more potential defensively for the Boomers. If he can defend the rim for us, hopefully we won't see Bogut picking up so many fouls. The Boomers would benefit a lot if they can keep him on the floor for his offense.

I hope he'll be included in the next Boomers team. Though that could be by default the next time they get together, considering Bogut's back troubles at the moment!