Star centre Andrew Bogut plays in Boomers final Rio Olympic warm-up win against China
ANDREW Bogut is back — and the Boomers admit they need him more than ever after a scratchy series of lead-in games ahead of Rio.
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ANDREW Bogut is back — and the Boomers admit they need him more than ever after a scratchy series of lead-in games ahead of Rio.
The NBA championship-winner seems certain to take his place in the Olympic tournament after a low-key return in an 82-53 win over China.
Bogut played 9.25mins in two stints and collected three rebounds but his return was a massive shot in the arm for Andrej Lemanis’ Boomers.
Bogut iced both knees after his first game since a horror fall saw him suffer bone bruising in both knees in the NBA finals.
His teammates and coaches had admitted they had no idea if he would make the Olympics, with Bogut admitting he would need a “miracle”.
But given he has six more days to recover he is clearly Rio-bound, even if he will be played in cameos off the Boomers bench.
The Boomers’ win over an understrength and undersized China saw them split their four warm-up games, losing to Lithuania and Brazil and beating China and Argentina.
Boomers assistant coach Luc Longley said the spluttering Australians were yet to hit their straps after the victory.
But Bogut’s presence will be a huge morale-lifter given his flawless passing skills and defensive intent.
“I think your first game back from injury is always difficult,” Longley said.
“We were fairly happy with how he moved with and without the ball and what he did on court, he’ll build from that.
“We haven’t played great yet. We have had a disrupted preparation but we are ready to go now.”
Bogut hasn’t spoken publicly about his injury in the past month but tweeted: “Good win Boomers! Got some rust off (but not much) individually”.
Good win Boomers! Got some rust off (but not much) individually.....
— Andrew Bogut (@andrewbogut) July 31, 2016
Star point guard Patrick Mills skipped the game but Joe Ingles has gained valuable court time and form after arriving late given the birth of his twins to wife Renae.
He scored 21 points on nine-of-12 shooting and collected six rebounds in his second consecutive strong showing after 16 points against Lithuania.
Australia hopes to organise one more game before they take on France on the opening day of competition, with Spain the most likely opponent.
The Boomers have been vocal about their desire to win gold and boast NBA regulars Bogut, Mills, Ingles, Aron Baynes, Matthew Dellavedova and Cam Bairstow.
Given they lost to world No. 9 Brazil by 29 points only days ago and were also battered in a 23-point defeat against world No. 3 Lithuania, time is at a premium.
Australia will need to finish at least fourth in its pool to progress through to the quarter-finals and faces France, Serbia and the USA in its first three contests.
They will need to knock off at least one of those opponents before they take on Venezuela and China to avoid a superpower in the quarter-final contest.
Originally published as Star centre Andrew Bogut plays in Boomers final Rio Olympic warm-up win against China
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