Maryborough’s Matthew “Delly” Dellavedova will captain Australia’s men’s basketball team for the first time this week when his World Cup qualifiers begin.
key point:
- Bendigo sports stars make waves on the international sports scene
- Basketball player Matthew Dellavedova captains Boomers while Dyson Daniels is drafted to the NBA
- Swimmers Col Pearse and Jenna Strauch succeed at world championships
The former Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks player will lead the Baby Boomers against China on Thursday night in Melbourne.
Dellavedova, who plays for NBL Melbourne United, said it would be tough to play two games in China next week.
Daniels is a “good boy”
The Boomers team will include six debutants, including the more experienced Dellavedova.
Meanwhile, another mid-Victorian Dyson Daniels has enjoyed great success in the sport in the US.
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Dellavedova said he has sent several text messages to Bendigo’s latest basketball outlet after being selected in Friday’s NBA draft.
A 6-foot-11, 19-year-old point guard was selected with the No. 8 pick by the New Orleans Pelicans to bolster the defense.
“It was a very tough game with good physicality and a fast pace,” Dellavedova said.
“As you can see, it’s well respected around the world and it’s getting better every year as different NBL players are drafted.
“It’s unbelievable to reach such a high level in the draft.
“But I think what’s more exciting is his career prospects in the NBA and baby boomers. I know he’s passionate about playing for Australia.”
Sporting goods stores said they expected Bendigonians to snap up Dyson Daniels’ NBA jerseys, which will be released in August before the new NBA season starts in October.
His draft marks the central Victorian’s latest victory in international sport after Bamawm swimmer Col Pearse won two silver medals at the World Para swimming Championships in Portugal.
Swimming genius makes waves
The Paralympics placed second in the men’s 200m S10 individual medley and 100m butterfly.
Pearse made headlines in 2020 when he and his family turned a dairy farm’s dam into a swimming pool and used milk bottles as driveway ropes.
The Portuguese city of Madeira is similar to Bendigo, Pierce said.
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“It’s like 200,000 people, an island, nice weather, nice pools. Really great people,” he said.
“We all said it felt like a vacation, except for the days we played, we had to turn it on and go through the whole recovery process and nutrition.
“We walked along the beach, went to a cafe, bought a Portuguese pie and a cup of coffee.”
In other results, Bendigo’s Jenna Strauch won silver in the women’s 4x100m medley at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Turkey.
Strauch and teammates Kaylee McKeown, Brianna Throssell and Mollie O’Callaghan finished in 3:54.25.
The Dolphins star also won silver in the 200-meter breaststroke.
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