AUS – Jawai pumped up to face Argentina

PERTH (2010 FIBA World Championship) - One of the big men in the Australia set-up, 6ft 10in Nathan Jawai, will join the national team at its training camp in Perth this weekend ahead of the Boomers World Challenge against Argentina.

Jawai, one of the Boomers’ leading players last summer in the FIBA Oceania Championship, appeared in 39 games with the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves this season.

He was assigned to the D-League at the end of March.

Having remained in the United States after the campaign in a bid to improve his NBA prospects ahead of next season, Jawai is now turning his attention to the national team, which faces Argentina in the Boomers World Challenge in Perth on June 25, Melbourne on June 27 and Adelaide on June 29.

“I’m really excited to rejoin the Boomers,” Jawai said.

“When we played in Australia against New Zealand last year, we didn’t go too well so I’m excited to come back and be with the team again and hopefully start on the path towards the World Champs.

“Argentina are the number one team in the world so I’m excited to play them, they’re a great team.”

Jawai travelled to South America with the Boomers last year and helped them beat Argentina in a friendly that went to double overtime.

That game was played in Brazil.

Australia will meet Argentina at the FIBA World Championship in Kayseri on August 29, although the make-up of those teams will be different to the ones that will meet in the Boomers World Challenge since veteran players are joining at a later date.

There are a host of players from each team in this month’s Argentina series that are near certainties to feature in Turkey, however, like Australia’s Beijing Olympians Pat Mills, Joe Ingles, Mark Worthington and Brad Newley.

Jawai could also be in Turkey if he impresses in the build-up to the tournament.

He is excited about this month’s games.

“I’m going to feel more comfortable playing them in a home environment with our fans behind us,” Jawai said.

“We can repeat our win from 2009 if we play our best. There are a couple of guys available now that weren’t available last time we played Argentina such as Patty (Mills) so it should be a great three-game series coming up.”

FIBA