Was confirmed by BA today
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The World Championship campaign of the Golden Star Australian Boomers men’s national basketball team has received a major boost with European-based star big man Aleks Maric confirming that he has made himself available for selection.
The availability of Maric, who was named to the 2009-10 All-Euroleague First Team this year, had previously been in significant doubt. The 210cm centre completed a gruelling 10-month season with his team, Partizan Belgrade, where he led the Serbian club to the national Radivoj Korac Cup Trophy, as well as the Adriatic Championship.
After having a short holiday in Australia however, Maric says he is now rested and ready to rejoin the Boomers when they go into their next training camp from 7 – 13 August in Melbourne.
“It was a long, tough, gruelling season in Europe that went right up to the 20th of June, and at that point all I wanted to do was rest and get my mind off basketball because the season was so long,” said Maric, who recently signed with Greek super club Panathinaikos. “I’d been in contact with coach (Brett) Brown all the time and he said take as much time off as you need and just don’t forget about us.
“I did that, as I’d always had the ambition to play for Australia, especially in the World Championships. So I took some time off and relaxed and thought about my options and I came back refreshed and anxious to play for Australia. It was a quick decision when I came back from vacation.”
Maric said he’d always wanted to represent his country at a senior level ever since joining with Andrew Bogut to win the junior world championships in Greece in 2003 and he felt he could bring some additional toughness to the Boomers squad.
“(I think I can bring) physical and emotional toughness,” Maric said. “That’s what I brought to my team in Europe and I feel that’s something I can bring to this team – toughness. Everyone in the world knows Australian teams are renowned for their toughness.”
Boomers Head Coach Brett Brown was grateful that Maric sacrificed much of his limited off season to join the Boomers.
"Al, like many of our players, has put his country first with his acceptance of our invitation to play with us,” Brown said. “His talents, physical presence, and most importantly, his team-first attitude, will fit in perfectly with our current group. We are all excited to welcome him into our team."
Maric will join 15 other players at the Boomers’ Melbourne camp as coach Brett Brown looks to finalise his team for the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey from 28 August to 12 September.
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Recent reports out of the Serbian press have confirmed that Aleks Maric will be lining up for the Australian Boomers in the up a coming 2010 FIBA World Championships of Basketball and will join the team in early August for preparation with the rest of the team.
