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Fifth Olympics looms for Boomers stalwart Ingles amid brutal selection calls
By Roy Ward
Australian Boomers stalwart Joe Ingles is set to retain his place for Paris 2024 and play in a fifth Olympics while NBA defensive ace Matisse Thybulle has been left off the final roster.
Boomers coach Brian Goorjian and his coaches named Ingles following his performance in the second half of Thursday night’s 91-58 thumping of China at John Cain Arena.
Joe Ingles drives to the basket against China.Credit: Getty Images
The final 12-man Olympic roster is expected to be publicly named on Sunday with Patty Mills and Ingles to join Andrew Gaze as the only male basketballers to play in five Olympics, according to a senior team source who shared the roster with this masthead.
“Like everybody here, you want to make it and, like Patty, I would be going to my fifth Olympics which would be unbelievable,” Ingles said on Thursday night before selection was finalised.
“I did everything I had to do and could have done. It is what it is. I will go home tomorrow regardless and see my family, hang out with the kids and I’ll either be a happy or a little pissed off. We will see what happens.”
Thybulle was a star for the Boomers at the Tokyo Olympics giving the team a defensive stopper and athletic presence off the bench, and it appeared he was set to be on the roster for Paris despite being far less effective at last year’s FIBA World Cup.
But the emergence of equally athletic NBA players Dyson Daniels and Josh Green since Tokyo, plus Josh Giddey’s height and strength at point guard, appears to have made Thybulle surplus to requirements once the coaches wanted Ingles back.
Thybulle didn’t play on Thursday night but Goorjian said post game he was kept out so the coaches could look at other players.
Ingles was deliberately kept on the bench in the first half on Thursday along with Chris Goulding and Matthew Dellavedova with Goorjian planning to watch the three veterans play with his main players in the second half.
Before his arrival, the Boomers offence had become stagnant, something that plagued the team at last year’s FIBA World Cup.
But Ingles’ ability to get the ball moving and create out of the pick and roll helped them click back into action.
It’s an issue, in Goorjian’s eyes, that could flare up again in their must-win group games.
Goorjian said post game that something in the third quarter made him and his coaches realise they needed to reconsider their team, and he referred to Ingles’ performance which saw him post four assists and four points in 16 minutes.
“I thought Joe got us going a bit with the pick and roll and the passing tonight,” Goorjian said on Thursday.
“When you look at your guys who are playing, there are a lot of guys who haven’t been under the lights yet [at the Olympics] and both of them [Ingles and Goulding] were good tonight.
“Whatever comes out of this, a lot of people will want to put a bullet in my head. It’s a no-win situation, but I have a great staff and I feel we will put the best team on the floor. I’m going to be real happy to move forward from this [selection].”
Following Tuesday’s first game against China, Goorjian referred to his desire to bring more defensive grunt and strength into his side to mirror what the team had in Tokyo.
He has made good on those plans recalling Matthew Dellavedova for a fourth Olympics after he was overlooked for the World Cup.
Power forward Nick Kay has retained his place from Tokyo despite Xavier Cooks making a strong case for selection while the team will have three centres with NBA duo Jock Landale and Duop Reath joined by Tasmania JackJumpers big man Will Magnay who will make his Olympic debut.
Boomers coach Brian Goorjian.Credit: Getty Images
The emergence of JackJumpers shooter Jack McVeigh, who left his honeymoon in Bali to join selection camp, has seen him shoot onto the roster in place of two-time Olympian Goulding who impressed in both games this week and was among the MVP contenders in the NBL this season.
It will be the first major tournament Goulding has missed since coming into the side for the 2014 World Cup.
Mills struggled with his shooting again making just 1 of 11 shots in 21 minutes on Thursday night but Goorjian still backed the champion Boomer to find his shot.
“Patty started that way last year [before the World Cup],” Goorjian said.
“I’m more looking at how he is moving, how is his conditioning and I think the more he plays, he is getting his shot, he is active defensively and he’s still quick; he hasn’t lost anything.
“He’s not shooting the ball well but Josh Giddey is getting him the ball, there is a better synergy between those two and Patty is in a really great place.”
Ingles’ daughter Milla, sat courtside with his wife Renae and other family and friends during Tuesday’s game against China and she gave her dad a hug and kiss as he went past their seats at half-time.
“She has never sat courtside; she is definitely not sitting courtside in the NBA, the tickets in John Cain Arena are a little cheaper,” Ingles said with a laugh.
“She loved it and was really getting into it. The first thing she said was that she had never seen me and Patty play live together which is pretty cool. I think she was more excited to see Patty than me which was disappointing.
“That’s the part I really enjoy now, having my family there and the kids especially. They are getting to the age where they understand what I do and what is going on and they know when I play for the yellow and green team and when I play for the team with whatever mascot my NBA team has.
“It was awesome to see them there. The other night Mila got to bed at 10pm so she needed to sleep tonight.”
Australian Boomers for Paris 2024: Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, Dyson Daniels, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Josh Giddey, Josh Green, Nick Kay, Jock Landale, Will Magnay, Jack McVeigh and Duop Reath.
From curse words to new coach
Ingles also spoke about his new NBA team after reports surfaced on Thursday AEST that he had signed a one-year deal, US$3.3 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“I’ve had too many teams,” Ingles exclaimed when asked about joining his sixth NBA side in 10 years.
“You know the crazy thing is I only wanted to play for one. I really just wanted to play for one,” Ingles said.
Joe Ingles attempts a scoop shot over China.Credit: Getty Images
He joins a team who made the Western conference finals this past season and needed a veteran playmaker to replace Kyle Anderson.
He will also rejoin long-time Utah teammates Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert, but Ingles revealed a “colourful” run in with Timberwolves coach Chris Finch when he coached Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics.
“For me, it’s more a basketball decision,” Ingles said.
“Speaking to Finch and to Tim Connelly, and hearing the role they expect me to have. It’s an opportunity to play on a hell of a team. I know Rudy, I know Mike.
“I got into it with Chris Finch when he was the [Great Britain] coach during London 2012 prep. We motherf--ked each other from the sidelines. He brought [it] up. That competitiveness is always going be there.
“To have another chance at that, on obviously a really good team, will be fun.”
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