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Tag: Indonesia

  • Premier League’s 40-player exodus broken down as month of chaos set to shake up title race

    Premier League’s 40-player exodus broken down as month of chaos set to shake up title race

    The Premier League is set for a major six-week shake-up as a whopping 40 players are called up for national teams across two premier competitions.

    Both the African and Asian confederations host their respective tournaments over the next month.

    The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) runs from 13 January to 11 February in Ivory Coast. The Asian Cup – where Australia’s Socceroos will compete – is in Qatar from 12 January to 10 February.

    Socceroos players began arriving for a pre-tournament camp in Bahrain as early as January 1, and many other players competing in AFCON or the Asian Cup have already departed their clubs to link up with their national teams.

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    Socceroos arrive for Asian Cup | 01:12

    And on Wednesday morning (AEDT), the impact was clearly felt by West Ham, who wanted to select Mohammed Kudus against Brighton for one final match before leaving for AFCON – only to be denied the Ghanaian federation.

    The next six weeks could prove crucial at both ends of the table. Some clubs will be decimated by departures, like Nottingham Forest, who lose six players, or Wolves and Brentford who have four players selected apiece.

    Other clubs, like Liverpool and Tottenham, lose superstars in Mohamed Salah (Egypt) and Son Heung-Min (South Korea) respectively.

    But some clubs will view the period as a chance to make up ground on their rivals. Manchester City, Newcastle and Burnley do not have any players competing in either the AFCON or Asian Cup.

    Here’s who every club will be missing this month.

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    Son Heung-Min of Tottenham Hotspur is a title favourite with South Korea.Source: Getty Images

    Arsenal – 2

    Mohamed Elneny (Midfielder, Egypt)

    Takehiro Tomiyasu (Defender, Japan)

    Thomas Partey (Midfielder, Ghana) – injured, not named

    Aston Villa – 1

    Bertrand Traore (Midfielder, Burkina Faso)

    Bournemouth – 2

    Dango Outtara (Forward, Burkina Faso)

    Antoine Semenyo (Forward, Ghana)

    Hamed Traore (Midfielder, Ivory Coast) – not named due to malaria

    Brentford – 4

    Saman Ghoddos (Midfielder, Iran)

    Kim Ji-soo (Defender, South Korea)

    Frank Onyeka (Midfielder, Nigeria)

    Yoane Wissa (Forward, DR Congo)

    Bryan Mbeumo (Midfield, Cameroon) – injured, not named

    Brighton – 2

    Simon Adingra (Forward, Ivory Coast)

    Kaoru Mitoma (Forward, Japan)

    Samy Chouchane (Midfielder, Tunisia) – not selected in final squad

    Burnley – 0

    Lyle Foster (Forward, South Africa) – not named due to mental health

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    Chelsea – 1

    Nicolas Jackson (Forward, Senegal)

    Crystal Palace – 1

    Jordan Ayew (Forward, Ghana)

    Cheick Doucoure (Midfielder, Mali) – injured, not named.

    Everton – 1

    Idrissa Gueye (Midfielder, Senegal)

    Fulham – 3

    Fode Ballo-Toure (Defender, Senegal)

    Calvin Bassey (Defender, Nigeria)

    Alex Iwobi (Midfielder, Nigeria)

    Liverpool – 2

    Wataru Endo (Midfielder, Japan)

    Mohamed Salah (Forward, Egypt)

    Not just Salah: Liverpool will also be missing defensive midfielder Wataru Endo.Source: Getty Images

    Luton Town – 1

    Issa Kabore (Defender, Burkina Faso)

    Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu (Midfielder, DR Congo) – not named in final squad

    Manchester City – 0

    Manchester United – 3

    Sofyan Amrabat (Midfielder, Morocco)

    Amad Diallo (Forward, Ivory Coast)

    Andre Onana (Goalkeeper, Cameroon)

    Hannibal Mejbri (Midfielder, Tunisia) – asked not to be selected

    Newcastle – 0

    Nottingham Forest – 6

    Ola Aina (Defender, Nigeria)

    Serge Aurier (Defender, Ivory Coast)

    Willy Boly (Defender, Ivory Coast)

    Cheikhou Kouyate (Midfielder, Senegal)

    Moussa Niakhate (Defender, Senegal)

    Ibrahim Sangare (Midfielder, Ivory Coast)

    Sheffield United – 2

    Yasser Larouci (Defender, Algeria)

    Anis Ben Slimane (Midfielder, Tunisia)

    Benie Traore (Forward, Ivory Coast) – not named in final squad

    Tottenham – 3

    Yves Bissouma (Midfielder, Mali)

    Son Heung-min (Forward, South Korea)

    Pape Matar Sarr (Midfielder, Senegal)

    Mohammed Kudus is a big loss for West Ham.Source: Getty Images

    West Ham – 2

    Nayef Aguerd (Defender, Morocco)

    Mohammed Kudus (Midfielder, Ghana)

    Maxwel Cornet (Forward, Ivory Coast) – not named in final squad

    Said Benrahma (Forward, Algeria) – not named in final squad

    Wolves – 4

    Hwang Hee-chan (Midfielder, South Korea)

    Justin Hubner (Defender, Indonesia)

    Rayan Ait-Nouri (Defender, Algeria)

    Boubacar Traore (Midfielder, Mali)

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  • Mongolia bowled out for 15 in Asian Games 2022 against Indonesia

    Mongolia bowled out for 15 in Asian Games 2022 against Indonesia

    Mongolia, in a rather underwhelming performance, were bowled out for just 15 runs in a T20I game against Indonesia. This came in return for a target of 188 posted by the Indonesian women’s side in the ongoing Hangzhou Asian Games, 2022. Interestingly, this is not the lowest team total posted by a team in an international game. 

    None of the batters were able to cross the double-digit mark. Additionally, seven out of eleven batters were dismissed for a duck. For Indonesia, Andriani Andriani was the pick of the bowlers, as she picked four wickets while giving away just eight runs in her four overs.

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  • ‘This team is a beam of light’: World No.62 seal Olympics spot after epic WC run

    ‘This team is a beam of light’: World No.62 seal Olympics spot after epic WC run

    South Sudan and Japan both qualified for the Paris Olympics at the Basketball World Cup on Saturday as the tournament’s highest-placed finishers from Africa and Asia.

    World Cup debutants South Sudan, who played their first official international game only six years ago, beat Angola 101-78 in Manila to claim their third win of the competition.

    Nearest challengers Egypt then lost 88-86 to New Zealand to send South Sudan to Paris, completing the world number 62-ranked team’s fairytale rise on the world stage.

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    The country has lurched from one crisis to another since winning independence in 2011 but the team’s World Cup performances have captured the public’s imagination, with crowds gathering to watch on giant screens in the capital Juba.

    An emotional head coach Royal Ivey said they had brought “unity, camaraderie, love and friendship” to the country.

    “This team is a beam of light,” he said.

    “This country has only been independent for 12 years. To do this is incredible.”

    Team South Sudan celebrates after their big win.Source: AFP

    South Sudan have won plaudits for their dynamic play and positive attitude on and off the court at the World Cup being held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

    They pulled off a historic win when they beat basketball-obsessed China in their second game, before downing the Philippines in the classification stage.

    South Sudan captain Kuany Ngor Kuany said he was proud to “create history” by representing his country.

    “We’ve had a lot of athletes representing different countries under different flags,” said Kuany, who was born in South Sudan but moved to Australia as a nine-year-old.

    “For us to be able to do it for the first time as a country really means a lot and that’s why we were fighting so hard to be able to get that opportunity.”

    South Sudan’s Majok Deng (R) gestures during the game.Source: AFP

    – Japan clinch spot –

    Japan claimed their place at the Paris Games with a nervy 80-71 win over Cape Verde in Okinawa.

    Japan had not qualified for the Olympic basketball tournament except as hosts for 48 years, but their third win of the World Cup put them out of reach of their nearest Asian challengers.

    They came from behind late to beat both Finland and Venezuela and head coach Tom Hovasse said they had “gained the respect of our opponents”.

    “I think we showed the world what we can do, and now we’re on everybody’s radar, we’re on everybody’s map,” said the American, who led Japan’s women’s team to the Olympic silver medal in Tokyo two years ago.

    “Gaining respect is a big step, winning games at this level is a huge step, so I’m really proud of what we did.”

    Japan took control against Cape Verde but suffered a late meltdown that almost cost them the game.

    They conceded the first 13 points of the fourth quarter before they regained their composure to close out the win.

    Hovasse said the fourth quarter was “hectic and could have been disastrous” but trusted his players to come through in the end.

    Japan celebrate qualifying for the Olympics.Source: Getty Images

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    Japan’s win meant China were eliminated from Olympic qualifying contention before their game against the Philippines had even ended.

    In the event, they lost 96-75 to the co-hosts for their fourth defeat of the tournament.

    “Once you’re tired, once the difficulties start, you have to use your head — our head was not used in the proper way tonight in the second half,” said China head coach Aleksandar Djordjevic.

    The highest-placed World Cup finishers from each of Asia, Africa and Oceania all qualify for Paris, along with the top two teams from both Europe and the Americas.

    Australia have already claimed the Oceania berth, while France qualify automatically as hosts.

    Four further spots at the 12-team Olympic competition will be up for grabs at next year’s qualifying tournament

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  • ‘Ashamed’ France dumped out of FIBA World Cup as China stunned by minnows

    ‘Ashamed’ France dumped out of FIBA World Cup as China stunned by minnows

    A first-round exit is probably not what a relatively star-studded French squad pictured when they lined up for the FIBA World Cup.

    But on Sunday, an unheralded Latvia team accomplished the unthinkable, knocking off France 88-86 in a stunning upset that eliminated them from the tournament in the first round.

    France, the reigning Olympic silver medallists, has a roster headlined by Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, and Evan Fournier, but still blew a 12-point lead to start the fourth quarter to Latvia.

    “For us, for sure, it’s a nightmare,” France head coach Vincent Collet said.

    The game turned when France’s starting point guard Nando De Colo was ejected for committing a second unsportsmanlike conduct foul with 6:46 left in the fourth quarter.

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    Goorjian rages as Germany beat Boomers | 01:18

    Latvia then went on a 10-3 run over the next two minutes and eventually took the lead.

    France was eliminated from the double-elimination tourney because of another drubbing this week: Canada crushed them 95-65 on Friday.

    This follows a 2019 World Cup effort where France left with the bronze medal and knocked Team USA out in the quarterfinals.

    The Latvian squad was led by Arturs Zagars, who posted 22 points, while the Thunder’s Davis Bertans scored 15 points.

    Fournier, a consistent performer for the international team, led all scorers with 27 points, while Batum added 13 and Gobert mustered just nine.

    “It’s very hard,” Fournier said. “Very tough. Not much to say. We didn’t think we would leave the tournament like this. We have to learn from it and come back next year. There isn’t anything else to do.”

    France’s Rudy Gobert (L) and Evan Fournier (2nd L) react as Latvia’s players celebrate.Source: AFP

    France’s hopes for the Paris Olympic Games next summer still look solid, however.

    The French will likely return Fournier, Gobert and Batum while potentially adding No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama, and they are also courting Joel Embiid to join the team after he was granted French citizenship.

    “I wasn’t really ashamed with that jersey, but that’s the first time I’m really ashamed,” Batum, who intends to retire following the 2024 Olympics in Paris, said after the game, according to Agence France-Presse. “I’m scared to go home because we have let a lot of people down. A lot of people in the country believed in us to do something. They believed in it and we didn’t do it.”

    France will end group play by facing Lebanon on Tuesday, but will continue in a losers’ group for an additional two games after.

    Latvia and Canada — both of whom will advance to Round 2 — will face each other on Tuesday to determine who will win Group H.

    This story originally appeared on the NY Post and is reproduced with permission.

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    South Sudan’s players celebrate their epic win.Source: AFP

    CHINA STUNNED BY SOUTH SUDAN

    China’s Basketball World Cup campaign was left hanging by a thread on Monday after a surprise 89-69 loss to tournament debutants South Sudan.

    China, ranked 27th in the world, fell behind early in Manila and could find no way back against their 62nd-ranked opponents.

    China were thrashed 105-63 by Serbia in their opening game and must now beat Puerto Rico on Wednesday and hope that other results go their way to avoid a first-round exit.

    It was South Sudan’s first World Cup win, after starting their tournament with a 101-96 overtime loss to Puerto Rico.

    Boomers denied game-tying opportunity | 00:31

    China, where basketball is a national obsession, slumped to a 24th-placed finish at the last World Cup on home soil in 2019.

    For this year’s tournament they secured the services of American NBA player Kyle Anderson, who has Chinese ancestry and obtained citizenship last month.

    Anderson, known in China as Li Kaier, was the game’s top scorer with 22 points but it was not enough to overcome a South Sudan team intent on claiming a historic maiden victory.

    American-born Carlik Jones, who plays for the NBA’s Chicago Bulls, was South Sudan’s top scorer with 21 points.

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  • Tears after injury heartbreak for Brazil; ‘masterful’ NBA wizard Doncic stuns: World Cup Wrap

    Tears after injury heartbreak for Brazil; ‘masterful’ NBA wizard Doncic stuns: World Cup Wrap

    The United States began their quest for Basketball World Cup redemption with a hard-fought win over New Zealand on Saturday, while Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic dazzled on his tournament debut.

    Defending champions Spain also got their campaign off to a successful start, and there were opening wins for Puerto Rico, Georgia, Greece, Brazil and Serbia on the competition’s second day.

    The United States finished seventh at the last World Cup in China four years ago and headed into this year’s edition in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia with a talented young squad with no previous tournament experience.

    They clawed their way back from a 10-point deficit in the first quarter to take control against New Zealand in Manila, going on to win 99-72.

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    Paolo Banchero led the scorers. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    Head coach Steve Kerr said New Zealand’s ferocious start made it “a really good game for us to experience”.

    “One of the things that we’ve talked to our team about is how excited everybody else is going to be to play against us,” he said.

    “New Zealand came out and hit us in the mouth and they were great — that’s good, it’s good for us to feel.”

    Paolo Banchero, last season’s NBA Rookie of the Year with the Orlando Magic, led the United States in scoring with 21 points, followed by Jaren Jackson Jr. and Austin Reaves on 12 apiece.

    “Obviously not the start we wanted,” said Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Reaves.

    “We’ll go back and watch film and learn from that but our intensity and our physicality after that first five minutes was much better.”

    Boomers open World Cup with a bang | 01:29

    New Zealand made their intentions clear with a pre-game haka and they carried that aggression into the first quarter.

    The Tall Blacks had four players scoring in double digits, led by Reuben Te Rangi with 15 points.

    “It was amazing seeing Kiwis out in those stands,” said Te Rangi.

    “They’ve travelled a long way to come here and support us, and it’s awesome to be able to play in front of them and put on a spectacle for them.”

    In the day’s other Group C game, Greece beat Jordan 92-71.

    DONCIC DAZZLES AND INJURY HEARTBREAK FOR BRAZIL

    In Group F in Okinawa in southern Japan, Doncic scored 37 points and had seven rebounds and six assists as Slovenia beat Venezuela 100-85.

    The four-time NBA All Star is appearing at the World Cup for the first time, after helping Slovenia to a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago.

    He missed out on a place in the NBA playoffs with the Dallas Mavericks last season but he said it made “no difference” to what he wants to achieve with Slovenia.

    “It’s special playing for your country, representing your country — you are always motivated, no matter what happens in the season,” said the 24-year-old.

    “Obviously it was disappointing we couldn’t make the playoffs but playing for your country is special.

    “It’s from the heart. Representing your country is amazing.”

    Georgia beat Cape Verde 85-60 in the other Group F game, in a matchup of tournament debutants.

    Spain lifted the Naismith Trophy four years ago and they got their title defence off to a winning start, beating Cote d’Ivoire 94-64 in Jakarta.

    Willy Hernangomez led Spain in scoring with 22 points, followed by Usman Garuba on 12 and Juancho Hernangomez on 11.

    Also in Group G, Brazil beat Iran 100-59 but lost Raul Neto to a ruptured tendon in his right knee.

    South Sudan looked headed for a win in their tournament debut when they took a 12-point lead against Puerto Rico in Group B.

    But the Puerto Ricans fought back to take the game to overtime and went on to claim a 101-96 victory.

    South Sudan head coach Royal Ivey said the game was “a learning experience” but rued the missed opportunity.

    “There are no moral victories for us,” he said.

    “We had that game and we gave it away.”

    Serbia beat China 105-63 in the day’s other Group B game.

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  • Canada thrash France in FIBA World Cup opener as RJ Barrett’s trash talk backfires

    Canada thrash France in FIBA World Cup opener as RJ Barrett’s trash talk backfires

    Canada opened the Basketball World Cup with a statement win over France on Friday, while co-hosts the Philippines fell short of a memorable victory in front of their raucous fans.

    There were also wins for Italy, Australia, Montenegro, Latvia, the Dominican Republic, Lithuania and Germany as the tournament tipped off in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

    Canada came into the tournament with a squad packed with NBA talent, but they faced a stiff test against France, who won silver at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago.

    In the event the Canadians blew their opponents away, stepping on the gas in the second half to run away with a 95-65 victory.

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    Canada outscored the French 25-8 in the third quarter and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished as the game’s top scorer with 27 points, despite failing to get on the scoresheet in the first quarter.

    “It’s always good to be rewarded when you’ve been working so hard, so I give these guys all the credit in the world,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said.

    “The most important game of your life is your next game, and if we think differently, we’re wrong.”

    Canada lost key guard Jamal Murray on the eve of the tournament, when he withdrew saying his body needed more time to recover after winning the NBA title with the Denver Nuggets last season.

    “We have a lot of guys on this team that are hungry, talented, and ultimately just want to win,” said Gilgeous-Alexander.

    “When you have those three things, you can do anything.”

    France’s point guard Elie Okobo. Photo by Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFPSource: AFP

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    Evan Fournier scored 21 points for France, who now take on Latvia on Sunday with their tournament hanging in the balance.

    Fournier said his team “got our ass kicked”.

    “As a team, they forced us to do things that we don’t want to do,” said the New York Knicks small forward.

    “At first we were able to score every now and then, our defence was solid, but as the game went on they kept applying pressure and it just got the best of us.”

    Canada’s RJ Barrett confessed he had been “talking trash” his New York Knicks teammate Fournier “every day” ahead of the contest.

    In the game, Barrett managed just five points on 1-of-10 shooting, but contributed six rebounds and five assists

    Elsewhere in Group H, tournament debutants Latvia beat Lebanon 109-70.

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  • Terrifying 4am North Korea threat rocks Boomers’ World Cup prep

    Terrifying 4am North Korea threat rocks Boomers’ World Cup prep

    The Boomers have been given a scare on the eve of the FIBA World Cup — and it’s had nothing to do with player injuries.

    The Boomers are set to play Finland in their first match of the World Cup in Japan but received a 4am wake up call no one wants to receive.

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    The Daily Telegraph reported that in the wee hours of the morning, residents in Okinawa were messaged by Japan’s national alert system, which automatically triggers an alarm.

    The message read: “Emergency Alert: Missile launch. Missile launch. A missile is believed to have been launched from North Korea”.

    But 13 minutes later, there was another alert which read: “Missile passed. Missile passed. It is believed that the previous missile passed into the Pacific Ocean at around 4am.”

    “We will cancel the call for evacuation. Never approach anything suspicious and immediately contact the police and fire departments.”

    The Boomers had a rude awakening in Japan.Source: Supplied
    The all clear came 13 minutes later.Source: Supplied

    A siren and public alert also sounded to announce the details.

    The “missile” was North Korea’s failed second attempt to put a spy satellite in orbit.

    The South Korean military said it detected the launch of the purported space rocket at around 3:50am and that it flew over the Yellow Sea.

    It added that a search and retrieval operation for the wreckage had begun.

    It’s hardly the way the Boomers would like as they complete preparations for the tournament.

    The side is heading into the tournament a key NBA star down after Jock Landale went down with a horrific looking ankle injury in the final warm up game in Australia against South Sudan.

    However, the World No. 3 Boomers are looking to go deep in the tournament to follow up from the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

    Ranked behind only the USA and Spain, the Boomers will be a team to watch.

    The Boomers were already without Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons who opted out of the World Cup, which runs from August 25 to September 10 in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.

    But they have a slew of other NBA players on board, including veteran Patty Mills and rising star Josh Giddey.

    Australia finished fourth at the last World Cup in China in 2019 and have come off four wins and a loss in their warm up games.

    With AFP

    .

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  • LIVE: Another Boomer hobbles off, ‘alarm bells’ ring in worrying WC warm-up vs medal fancy

    LIVE: Another Boomer hobbles off, ‘alarm bells’ ring in worrying WC warm-up vs medal fancy

    The Boomers trail 39-31 as they gear up towards the FIBA World Cup with a warm-up game against France on Sunday afternoon.

    Early signs were not good for Australia, who looked “in all sorts” according to Andrew Gaze as they fell behind 27-19 after the first quarter.

    Only compounding the Boomers’ woes was an injury concern for Josh Green after the Dallas Mavericks star hobbled off.

    New York Knicks star Evan Fournier made a fast start on Sunday, scoring eight of France’s opening 13 points after going 2-for-2 early from downtown.

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    Boomers beaten by Brazil in warm up game | 01:26

    “That’s a bad sign for Australia if he gets it going,” Gaze said in commentary.

    Patty Mills, meanwhile, struggled to find his rhythm from deep as he came up short on a 3-point attempt off a Josh Giddey pass.

    Green had no such issues though, draining his first attempt but otherwise the Boomers couldn’t get much going on the offensive end, guilty of two sloppy turnovers.

    That, in turn, put pressure on Australia in defence and the Boomers struggled to contain Fournier and Rudy Gobert.

    “They are these types that lead to tough defensive situations. It’s been a sloppy start here for Australia both with their efficiency and the turnovers,” Gaze said.

    Gobert then finished over the top of starting centre Duop Reath, who the Boomers will have to lean on heavily with Jock Landale injured.

    Patty Mills of Australia looks on. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    “This is way too easy for France,” Gaze said, adding that “alarm bells” would be ringing for coach Brian Goorjian given the ease in which Gobert had been feasting in the paint.

    Early foul trouble also saw Nick Kay and Xavier Cooks sit and Reath brought back into the game, limiting Goorjian’s opportunities to experiment with his line-up.

    The Boomers ended the first quarter in strong fashion as some of France’s starters came out of the game, with Reath finishing well in the paint while Matisse Thybulle disruptive defence also forced a turnover that was turned into points.

    “He is a sensation… he has really improved and looked very comfortable out there with his teammates,” Gaze said of Reath.

    Meanwhile, Jack White — who would have missed out on selection had it not been for Landale’s injury — impressed early with his energy and intensity on both ends early in the second quarter.

    White came up with a few crucial stops and later drained an open 3-pointer while a beautiful bounce pass from Josh Giddey to a cutting Nick Kay cut France’s lead to 27-24.

    Australia did well to recover from the slow start but still went into halftime trailing 39-31, a solid result considering Mills went 0-for-7 from deep after going 5-for-25 in the three Melbourne warm-up games.

    “If you look at a lot of his shots, that is a tough one… but some of the other ones he’s taken have been really good looks,” Gaze said.

    “He’s done it that many times that you never lose faith in Patty Mills but it’d be nice to see him get some confidence.”

    Jack White impressed early in the second quarter. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    While Australia initially planned to travel to Japan with a 13-man squad before making a final cut that decision has since been taken out of coach Goorjian’s hands.

    Australia suffered a setback Saturday with the Houston Rockets’ Landale ruled out with a left ankle injury.

    The Boomers’ starting centre hurt himself during a warm-up match with South Sudan in Melbourne on Thursday and scans showed “a lateral ankle ligament injury”.

    Coach Brian Goorjian said it was a huge disappointment.

    “The team is really hurting for Jock. He’s a big part of the culture in this team and everybody loves him,” Goorjian said.

    “He was really excited about this, so it’s a real kick in the guts, but as far as our belief — that hasn’t waned.”

    Landale will head back to Houston to prepare for the NBA season.

    “All the build-up and preparation we go through as athletes just to have it yanked away 12 hours beforehand sucks,” he tweeted as the Australian team departed for Japan.

    “Focus turns to supporting them how I can and preparing for this season with the @HoustonRockets.”

    The Boomers were already without Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons who opted out of the World Cup, which runs from August 25 to September 10 in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.

    But they have a slew of other NBA players on board, including veteran Patty Mills and rising star Josh Giddey.

    Australia finished fourth at the World Cup in China in 2019 and third at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

    STARTING LINE-UPS

    Australia

    3. Josh GIDDEY

    5. Patty MILLS

    6. Josh GREEN

    15. Nick KAY

    26. Duop REATH

    France

    5. Nicolas BATUM

    7. Guerschon YABUSELE

    10. Evan FOURNIER

    12. Nando DE COLO

    27. Rudy GOBERT

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  • ‘Really hurting’: Jock Landale ruled out of Australia’s FIBA World Cup campaign

    ‘Really hurting’: Jock Landale ruled out of Australia’s FIBA World Cup campaign

    Australia’s FIBA World Cup hopes suffered a setback on Saturday with the Houston Rockets’ Jock Landale ruled out with a left ankle injury.

    The Boomers’ starting centre hurt himself during a warm-up match with South Sudan in Melbourne on Thursday and scans showed “a lateral ankle ligament injury”.

    Australian coach Brian Goorjian said it was a huge disappointment.

    “The team is really hurting for Jock. He’s a big part of the culture in this team and everybody loves him,” Goorjian said.

    “He was really excited about this, so it’s a real kick in the guts, but as far as our belief — that hasn’t waned.”

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    Landale will head back to Houston to prepare for the NBA season.

    “All the build-up and preparation we go through as athletes just to have it yanked away 12 hours beforehand sucks,” Landale tweeted as the Australian team departed for Japan.

    “Focus turns to supporting them how I can and preparing for this season with the @HoustonRockets.”

    The Boomers were already without Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons who opted out of the World Cup, which runs from August 25 to September 10 in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.

    But they have a slew of other NBA players on board, including veteran Patty Mills and rising star Josh Giddey.

    Australia finished fourth at the World Cup in China in 2019 and third at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

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  • ‘Difficult decision’: Jamal Murray pulls out of FIBA World Cup in major blow for Canada

    ‘Difficult decision’: Jamal Murray pulls out of FIBA World Cup in major blow for Canada

    Canada’s Basketball World Cup hopes have suffered a major blow with guard Jamal Murray, who helped the Denver Nuggets win the NBA title in June, pulling out of the event, saying his body needs more time to recover.

    Murray averaged 21.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 10.0 assists a game in the NBA Finals as the Nuggets beat Miami for the crown.

    But the championship run drained Murray too much for him to compete with Canada at the World Cup, which begins next week in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

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    ‘ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS’: Boomers cop pre-World Cup wake-up call

    Harden slams Sixers boss as “liar” | 00:24

    “When I came into training camp, I wanted to see how my body would respond after a long and demanding season and if I would be physically able to compete at the highest level required for the World Cup,” Murray said.

    “In consultation with medical staff and the team, it’s clear that additional recovery is required and I have made the difficult decision to not participate in the tournament.

    “It’s still a dream of mine to represent Canada at the Olympics and I will support the team every step of the way as they pursue this goal.”

    Canada is set to compete in the group stage of the 32-team event starting August 25 against France. Other Group H matches will include facing Lebanon on August 27 and Latvia on August 29, with all games at Jakarta, Indonesia.

    “After numerous discussions over the last several weeks with Jamal and team medical staff, it became clear that additional recovery and rehab would prevent Jamal from joining our team,” Basketball Canada general manager Rowan Barrett said.

    “With just over a week until we tip-off at the World Cup, based on a shared commitment to continue building and improving every day, we will be working through our remaining practice and exhibition game schedule to prepare us for the tournament-opening game against France.”

    The Canadians can qualify for next year’s Paris Olympics by finishing among the top two teams from the Americas competing at the World Cup.

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