MBB | Three Former Gaels to Play in FIBA World Cup
8/7/2019 12:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Saint Mary's will send three former standouts to play for Australia at this year's World Cup in China.
MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's will be well represented at this year's FIBA World Cup in China as three former Gaels have been named to the Australian National Team. NBA Champions Matthew Dellavedova '13 and Patty Mills return to the Boomers roster while Jock Landale '18 will make his first appearance with the senior squad.
The 32-team tournament tips off on August 31 and concludes on September 15. Australia enters ranked No. 11 in the world and will face off with No. 6 Lithuania, No. 23 Canada, and No. 37 Senegal in group play. The top two teams from each group will advance to the second round.
The trio of Gaels playing in the tournament are some of the program's all-time greats. Dellavedova was named West Coast Conference Player of the Year in 2012 and remains the school's all-time leader in points scored with 1,933. He was instrumental in the team's 2010 Sweet 16 run and his number 4 is forever retired in the rafters along with Mills' number 13.
Mills spent two years in Moraga before becoming the second Gael ever taken in the NBA Draft when he went 55th overall to Portland. As a freshman, the guard was named Newcomer of the Year and was First Team All-WCC during each of his college seasons. His 37-point performance in a win over No. 11 Oregon in McKeon Pavilion ranks tied for sixth as the most points ever scored by a Gael in a single game.
Landale is just over a year removed from receiving his WCC Player of the Year award which he picked up as a senior after averaging 21.1 points and 10.2 boards. That year, the 6-10 center broke the school's all-time single season scoring record with 761 points. Despite not starting a game until his junior season, Landale is sixth all-time in points at Saint Mary's and became the Gael to be named an AP All-American in 2018.
The Boomers possess a deep roster filled with other NBA talent including Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz), Jonah Bolden (Philadelphia 76ers), Aron Baynes (Phoenix Suns), and former first-overall pick Andrew Bogut.
Australia begins their tournament on September 1 versus Canada. More information can be found by visiting the World Cup website by clicking here.
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