Uluc: Bogut showing positive signs ahead of Canada game
It sounds like we could see Andrew Bogut back on the court against Canada.
Fox Sports Australia's Olgun Uluc was on the ground in China at a Boomers training session on Saturday night. He confirmed that Bogut was moving well and completed the entire session, which is definitely a positive sign for Sunday's game against Canada.
Update: Boomers head coach, Andrej Lemanis also confirmed Bogut's positive progress, but did not commit to game day status. “He’s just improving, I guess, day-to-day, and we’ll see how that goes. It’s still unknown at this stage, but we’ll see how he pulls up tomorrow and make a decision from there.”
The Boomers big man hurt his ankle in the team's last warmup game on Thursday night, playing against Germany in China.
Basketball Australia confirmed on Friday night, that Bogut was been cleared of any significant structural injury.
The Boomers have played Canada in two warmup games earlier in Perth, which ended in a loss and a win. Michael Kruger broke down on film, some of the expected actions that could take place on Australia's debut FIBA 2019 World Cup group stage game against Canada, and what the Boomers could do to tighten their on-court play, which includes defensive issues, thoughts on going with bigger lineups and more.
Many have criticized the Boomers’ conservative drop scheme in their pick and roll coverage, and a quick look at the shot chart in Australia’s losses can attest to a certain precarity felt in and around the foul-line. However, these shots only instantiated a larger defensive issue – an inability on the Boomers’ behalf to force teams into their secondary or third options on offence.
Far too often, Australian guards have died easily and completely on picks, allowing quick perimeter players (such as Canada’s Kaza Kajami-Keane and Andrew Nembhard) to attack with an unimpeded head of steam.
Team Canada often run multiple hand-offs and ball-screens (video) as misdirection, and in likewise possessing a plethora of viable outside marksmen, will look to unleash hell upon the Boomers once collapsing their defence. Canada will run everything – or attempt to run almost everything – through the centre of the court (video).
Read more: The Film Room: What the Boomers should expect from Canada in the World Cup
The Boomers have one more scheduled training session on Sunday before they tip off against Canada later in the day.
The Australian Boomers' journey in the 2019 FIBA World Cup can be viewed on Kayo Sports and Foxtel.
Australian Boomers schedule for 2019 FIBA World Cup: (All times AEST)
September 1: Boomers vs. Canada, 5:30pm
September 3: Boomers vs. Senegal, 5:30pm
September 5: Boomers vs. Lithuania, 9:30pm
September 7 & 9: Round of 16
September 10 & 11: Quarter-Finals
September 13: Semi-Finals
September 15: Medal Games