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Basketball Australia has named 18 athletes in the Australian Under-19 squad for a 2021 FIBA Basketball World Cup selection camp to be held at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra from May 31 – June 2, 2021.

Selectors have named a deep and versatile Emus squad for these final preparations ahead of 2021 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup to be held in Latvia from July 3 – 11. Earlier this month, Australia was drawn into Group D for the preliminary round stages of the global event alongside Mali, Turkey and the USA.

Selection for this month’s camp was finalised after the recent Australian Under-20 Championships in Mackay (QLD), with Emus’ head coach Darren Perry and his selectors also using February’s Emus camp, NBL1 and Waratah League performances, plus they reviewed the 2020-21 NCAA season to arrive at this final squad.

Included in the 18-man squad for the selection camp are Taran Armstrong, Dyson Daniels, David Okwera, Tyrese Proctor, Patrick Ryan, Reyne Smith and Harry Wessels, who all represented the Australian senior men’s national team in February’s 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in Cairns, where the green and gold defeated New Zealand.

The Emus squad also includes rising star of Australian basketball and 2021 NBA draft prospect Josh Giddey, along with Brisbane Bullets point guard Tamuri Wigness and dual Bob Staunton Medal winner, Blake Jones.

Of the squad, 16 have progressed through either the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence (CoE) or NBA Global Academy (NBAGA) at the AIS in Canberra.

The final team for the 2021 FIBA Basketball World Cup will be selected from this camp, where this team will then have a final preparation camp prior to departing for Europe in late June.

Australian Under-19 Squad – 2021 FIBA Basketball World Cup Selection Camp

(Home State/Current Team or Teams)
• Leyi Adebayo (VIC)
• Taran Armstrong* (TAS)
• Biwali Bayles* (NSW/CoE)
• Dyson Daniels (VIC/CoE)
• Bol Dengdit (VIC/NBAGA)
• Akoldah Gak (NSW/Illawarra Hawks)
• Jaylin Galloway (CoE/Sydney Kings)
• Josh Giddey* (VIC/Adelaide 36ers)
• Blake Jones* (QLD/Brisbane Bullets)
• Max Mackinnon (QLD/CoE)
• David Okwera (WA/CoE)
• Tyrese Proctor (NSW/NBAGA)
• Daniel Rogers* (WA)
• Patrick Ryan (VIC/CoE)
• Reyne Smith (TAS/CoE)
• Harry Wessels (WA/CoE)
• Tamuri Wigness* (QLD/Brisbane Bullets)
• Yaak Yaak (SA/NBAGA)
*Denotes past CoE or NBAGA Scholarship Holder

Head Coach – Darren Perry
Assistant Coach – Robbie McKinlay
Assistant Coach – Michael Cassidy
Team Manager – Mark Sainsbery
Physiotherapist – Toby Conroy

END.