Boomers Assistants Named

New Zealand Breakers Head Coach Andrej Lemanis gets his chance on the international stage with the Boomers.

This article is courtesy of Sportal.

Three new assistant coaches have been named to help Brett Brown pilot Australia's men's basketball team through to the London Olympics in 2012.

Brown, who was named as the new Boomers coach last month, will be joined by Andrej Lemanis, Shane Heal and Marty Clarke and they will guide the Australian team through until at least 2012.

That means outgoing coach Brian Goorjian will have no role, while Brendan Joyce and Gordie McLeod also find themselves on the outer.

Basketball Australia Chief Executive Larry Sengstock was thrilled with the quality of the new assistant coaches and believes they will be able to help Brown guide the Boomers to an Olympic medal in 2012.

"We have entered a new era for the Boomers and I am excited and hopeful about what this coaching staff can deliver," Sengstock said.

In addition to the selection of Lemanis, Heal and Clarke, Bill Tomlinson has also been drafted in as a network coach to assist in the development and preparation of players on an individual basis.

That means Brown will have four experienced people to call on for advice when required and this should help the Boomers in their quest for an Olympic medal.

Brown, who is currently in the United States working as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA playoffs, was extremely happy with the selections of his assistants.

"They are a competitive, astute group and together we are excited to embrace the difficult challenge of securing Australian men's basketball's first medal in senior men's competition," Brown said.

"Marty has a terrific record with the junior program and knows the playing group well from their time together at the Institute; as a four-time Olympian and former Boomers captain Shane is an untapped resource of great value and an inspirational leader; Andrej has an outstanding knowledge of the game and has done very good things with the New Zealand Breakers; and Billy has been one of the top coaches in Australia for the past 25 years."

Let me know what you think about these selections.