The Australian men’s basketball team, the Boomers, have secured their spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics, continuing their record of competing in every Olympic Games since 1972. The Boomers became the first team to qualify for the next Olympics, apart from the host nation France, after their rivals New Zealand were eliminated from the World Cup in Manila on Wednesday.
Boomers celebrate as Tall Blacks fall short
The Boomers did not have to play a single game to book their ticket to Paris, as they only needed New Zealand to lose one of their group matches at the World Cup. The Tall Blacks, who were the only other Oceanian team that could challenge Australia’s bid, had a chance to keep their hopes alive when they faced Greece on Wednesday. However, despite leading by 15 points in the first half and 11 points at halftime, they could not hold on and lost 83-74 to the European powerhouse.
The result meant that New Zealand were knocked out of the initial group stages of the World Cup, while Australia advanced to the second round in Okinawa, Japan. The Boomers were delighted to become the second team to qualify for the 2024 men’s basketball tournament at the Olympics, following France who automatically qualified as the hosts.
Boomers aim for gold after historic bronze
The Boomers will be aiming for their first Olympic gold medal in men’s basketball when they compete in Paris, after winning their first ever medal at the Tokyo Games earlier this month. The Boomers defeated Slovenia 107-93 in the bronze medal match, ending their long drought of finishing fourth on four occasions.
The Boomers have a formidable line-up that features NBA stars such as Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, Josh Green and Josh Giddey, who was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder as the sixth overall pick this year. There is also the possibility of Ben Simmons joining the team, after he withdrew from the Tokyo Games to focus on his development.
Boomers face tough challenge at World Cup
Before Paris, though, the Boomers have a tough challenge ahead of them at the World Cup, where they will face Slovenia and Georgia in their second round of group matches. Slovenia are led by NBA superstar Luka Doncic, who averaged 28.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10 assists per game at the Tokyo Olympics. Georgia are considered the underdogs of the group, but they have some experienced players such as Zaza Pachulia and Tornike Shengelia.
The Boomers will need to finish in the top two of their group to advance to the quarter-finals, where they could potentially meet other strong teams such as USA, Spain, France or Serbia. The World Cup is also an important event for ranking points and seeding for future tournaments.
