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Weaver confident in depleted Boomers

3 minute read

Caretaker Boomers coach Will Weaver is confident his depleted squad can do the job in this week's Asia Cup basketball qualifiers in Brisbane.

They're the Boomers side who are more green than gold.

But caretaker coach Will Weaver is adamant his depleted basketball squad can overcome their inexperience in this week's Asia Cup qualifiers in Brisbane.

Half of the 12 players picked to take on New Zealand and Hong Kong have yet to make their international debuts for Australia.

Five have been selected from Illawarra, despite their last-placed finish in the recently completed NBL regular season.

The group doesn't include its NBA contingent, while players from teams preparing for the NBL playoffs had not been considered.

However, Weaver remained confident in the near-unrecognisable team maintaining a standard set by the Boomers' core group.

"We have an identity as a program and as a country," Weaver said on Tuesday.

"So that makes it easy to keep the standard to where it is, and recognise that we fit into a broader qualification that leads to major tournaments down the line."

Veteran Mitch Creek was also one of six players unavailable due to injury, though Weaver insisted there was still plenty of potential in the current squad.

Nathan Sobey and Cameron Gliddon were a part of last year's World Cup list, while Josh Giddey was developed in the Centre of Excellence program.

"There's players on this team that will have a chance to make it to higher levels, playing different leagues around the world in the future," Weaver said.

It is the first time a Boomers squad has assembled since former coach Brett Brown's re-appointment after the resignation of Andrej Lemanis.

Weaver will coach the group in the absence of Brown, who is unavailable amid NBA commitments with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Boomers take on the Tall Blacks on Thursday at Nissan Centre.

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