Boomer Mills to hit top form at Olympics

Updated June 12, 2012 17:54:21

Australia coach Brett Brown predicts the basketball career of Patty Mills will continue to soar after the star guard's successful stint at NBA powerhouse San Antonio Spurs.

Brown also believes Australian basketball will reap the benefits of Mills' sky-high confidence at the London Olympics.

Mills' journeyman career appeared at the cross-roads in January when his contract with Xinjiang was controversially terminated, with the Chinese club accusing him of faking a hamstring injury.

But a lifeline from San Antonio, where Brown is an assistant coach, has sparked a bright new chapter for Mills, with the former Portland guard hitting career-best form at the star-studded Spurs.

Mills nailed an impressive 27 points against Phoenix on April 25, before setting a new Australian single-game record with a 34-point haul against Golden State just one day later.

The 23-year-old was barely sighted during the play-offs as stars Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili returned to run the show, but Brown believed Mills' experience at the Spurs would prove to be career-defining.

"I think it resurrected his career," Brown said on Tuesday.

"He was caught at a cross-roads where he was in between leagues, he was in between teams.

"To be able to be brought in by such a great franchise like the Spurs and have the opportunity to again be with me ... it was a win on everyone's part.

"The Spurs were fortunate to have him, he was fortunate to have the Spurs and if you put your Boomers hat on, basketball in Australia will reap the benefits of he and I being able to be together.

"He experienced some great NBA performances.

"The relationships he shared with Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and other internationals ... you can't put a price tag on that experience."

Mills, who has the option of playing on with the Spurs next season, has remained in San Antonio to work on his fitness and skills, meaning he will miss Wednesday night's third and final clash with China in Perth.

Australia leads the series 2-0, and Brown said he was looking forward to being thrust back into the hot seat after flying in from America on Monday following San Antonio's play-off exit at the hands of Oklahoma City.

"The disappointment of getting bumped out of the NBA play-offs was significant, but to have something as exciting as the preparation of the Olympic Games waiting for me makes it a little bit easier," Brown said.

AAP

Tags: basketball, olympics-summer, sport, australia

First posted June 12, 2012 17:54:21

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Boomer Maric unhurt in Greece rock attack

Updated May 18, 2012 17:59:30

Australian Boomers star Aleks Maric says he is unhurt despite a rock-throwing attack on his team bus that forced two Greek club team-mates to go to hospital in Athens.

The Europe-based basketballer was travelling with his Panathinaikos team-mates to a Greek play-off game against rival Olympiakos when hooligans threw rocks at the bus.

The rocks broke windows and injured local player Stratos Perperoglou and American import Steven Smith.

The pair were treated for cuts from broken glass, with photos posted on Maric's Twitter account depicting brick-sized rocks which had come through the windows and landed on the seats of the bus.

The opening game of the best-of-five series between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos has been subsequently postponed by Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports George Nikitiadis.

Basketball Australia officials are seeking to make contact with Maric to ensure he is safe.

Maric recently led Panathinaikos to the Euroleague Final Four and is expected to join the Boomers after the Greek Finals series as the Australian team prepares for London.

A critical part of that preparation will be The Farewell Series, in which see the Boomers will take on Greece in a three-game series in Victoria in June.

The series will begin with a double-header with the Australian Opals at Melbourne Park on 24 June.

AAP

Tags: basketball, sport, greece

First posted May 18, 2012 17:59:30

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Boomer Andersen returns to Europe

Updated June 30, 2011 19:49:00

Australian journeyman forward/centre David Andersen has signed a three-year deal with former club Montepaschi Siena in Italy after two seasons in the NBA.

With a labour lock-out looming in the NBA, Andersen opted to take his talents back to Europe where he made a name for himself in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Andersen, 31, starred in Europe for a decade before taking his game to the United States in stints with Houston, Toronto and New Orleans.

He was selected 37th overall in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, but he continued to play in Europe until the Rockets purchased his rights from the Hawks in 2009 to use him to shore up their frontcourt in the absence of star centre Yao Ming.

The Frankston, Victoria-born power forward previously played for Montepaschi Siena in 2003/04, helping the club to the Final Four in Tel Aviv.

Andersen also contributed to Virtus Bologna's 2001 Italian and Euroleague title campaigns and was named to the All-Euroleague first team in 2004/05 during his time with Russian club CSKA Moscow.

He has won three FIBA Oceania championships with Australia in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Tags: sport, basketball, australia, italy

First posted June 30, 2011 19:39:00

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