Basketball 2024: 220cm teenager Rocco Zikarsky named in Boomers team
Australia’s most exciting young basketball prospect, the 220cm 17 year old Rocco Zikarsky, has been named in the Boomers squad for the Asia Cup qualifiers in Bendigo.
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Australia’s biggest young basketball prospect Rocco Zikarsky is set to make his Boomers debut after Basketball Australia was finally able to release its 12-player squad, less than a week out from its Asia Cup qualifiers.
The 220cm Brisbane Bullets Next Star, 17, will be joined by Perth Wildcats’ teen tyro Ben Henshall, 19, among six debutants in Boomers coach Brian Goorjian’s NBL-dominated squad for Thursday night’s clash with Korea in Bendigo.
Zikarsky’s Bullets teammate Josh Bannan, 22, and skilled Sydney Kings big man Jordi Hunter, in line for his first international cap, aged 27, are also set to don the green and gold for the first time in senior FIBA competition.
“I’m looking forward to our game in Bendigo, I hear it’s a full house so that’s going to provide a great atmosphere,” Goorjian said.
“There is a lot of interest in the young talent coming through and this will be a great opportunity for them to play alongside some of our most experienced players.”
There has been private frustration among the NBL, clubs and BA over the timing of Monday’s FIBA window, which falls the day after the last game of the regular season, hence the announcement just six days out from tipoff.
Under FIBA rules, clubs can’t deny the release of players but, with the NBL playoffs looming, it’s left many with the hard choice between club and country, with quality of opposition (Korea and Indonesia), potential injury and the chase for a domestic championship all factors.
If Brisbane wins tonight (Friday), it will lock in a place in the top-six but coach Justin Schueller said both Bullets would still be available, regardless.
“We are supporting Josh, Rocco and NZ Tall Black) Tyrell (Harrison) in representing their countries, Schueller, who has a long history coaching in Australia’s junior national team system, said.
“They will play. Helping athletes get to the next level is what we want our program to be about.”
The future-focused Aussies will unleash Centre of Excellence guards Kye Savage (Tasmania) and Josh Dent (NSW), both 18, after each produced standout performances at the recent U20 National Championships.
As previously revealed by Code Sports, the team will be led by anytime, anywhere Olympic bronze medallist Nick Kay, who has returned from Japan, and is packed with Adelaide 36ers in Isaac Humphries, Dejan Vasiljevic, Nick Marshall and Mitch McCarron. Young Cairns Taipans point guard Taran Armstrong, 22, will play his second senior game. Both of those teams are out of NBL top-six contention.
Goorjian’s coaching staff for the clashes with Korea in Bendigo and then Indonesia in Jakarta, next Monday morning AEDT features highly-rated Melbourne United assistant Jacob Chance, much-loved Cairns Taipans lieutenant Kerry Williams and CoE mens program head coach Robbie McKinlay.
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Originally published as Basketball 2024: 220cm teenager Rocco Zikarsky named in Boomers team
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