AUS - Players battling for spots in Boomers' World Cup squad

PERTH (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - A golden opportunity is there for the taking for the 12 players chosen to compete for Australia against China this week in Perth.

Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis has told each that hard work and solid performances could lead to selection for Australia's FIBA Basketball World Cup squad.

"Everybody's (got) a chance," Lemanis said.

"Last year we saw Dante Exum and Ben Simmons come in for the FIBA Oceania Championship and they are turning into pretty good young players.

"The opportunities are there and I'm coming in with my mind open.

"At the end of the day, you always pick the best team, the best fit of players - synergy, chemistry, talent - that give you the best opportunity to win."

Several veterans, including San Antonio Spurs guard Pat Mills, are virtual certainties for the World Cup and are not presently with the Boomers.

"If you go through the reality of it, there are probably six or seven guys who pick themselves, but after that it's pretty wide open, so it's a good opportunity for these guys in this environment to show what they have to offer to the Boomers campaign," said Lemanis.

He decided on Wednesday that Angus Brandt, Cameron Gliddon, Hugh Greenwood, Tom Jervis, Ben Madgen, Rhys Martin, Jack McVeigh, Brock Motum, Luke Nevill, Clint Steindl, Lucas Walker and Mark Worthington will play for the Australians against China.

NBL Rookie of the Year Jervis and McVeigh, a teenager who is still at the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence, were late additions to the squad after withdrawals of Matt Knight and Ryan Broekhoff.

Todd Blanchfield and Anthony Drmic were at the training camp but did not make Wednesday's final cut.

"We spoke to this group when they first arrived in Perth and spoke about the fact there are people in this room who will go to the World Cup," Lemanis said.

"And as a result, there's going to be some great news stories to come out if it.

"Perhaps three months ago, these guys weren't considered (to have) a chance to go to the World Cup, but they could be on the team."

The opening two fixtures of the Sino-Australia Challenge will be played at Perth's Challenge Stadium, tipping off on Thursday 29 May at 8:30pm (Western Australia time) before Game 2 on Saturday 31 May at 6:30pm.

The Boomers will leave for China on 4 June for two more games in the Jiangsu Province.

At the World Cup, which tips off 30 August, Australia will play in Group D against Angola, Mexico, Korea, Slovenia and Lithuania.

Those games will be held in Gran Canaria.

FIBA