Vasiljevic named for Boomers debut

Dejan Vasiljevic (supplied)

Tara Murray

Wyndham’s own Dejan Vasiljevic is set to pull on the green and gold after being named in the Australian Boomers squad for the next round of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

Vasiljevic is part of the 12 man squad that has been named for the fourth window of qualifiers to be held later this month.

The squad will be headlined by Asia Cup gold medallists, Mitch McCarron and Sam Froling, who will make it three Boomers campaigns in three months, after competing in both undefeated Melbourne and Jakarta series.

Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist, Nick Kay will reunite with the Australian line up for the first time since captaining the February World Cup qualifiers in Japan, with fellow B-League players, Angus Brandt and Rhys Vague also making themselves available to the Boomers once again.

Vasiljevic and NBA draftee Luke Travers will make their Australian debuts, while Alex Toohey, Rory Hawke, Alex Mudronja, Todd Blanchfield and Mitch Norton round out the squad.

Vasiljevic, who plays with the Sydney Kings, was recently in America playing for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Summer League, in search of an NBA contract.

The team will travel to and take on Bahrain on August 25, before returning home to host Iran in Bendigo on August 29.

Mike Kelly will coach the side again

“Our last two performances in Melbourne and Jakarta were really solid, I look forward to working with this group of players who have made themselves available for these games,” Kelly said.

“Bendigo is a great basketball town and you know that whenever the Boomers set foot on the court you will get a physical encounter so the fans have a lot to look forward to.”