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A "wound up, fired up" Brian Goorjian has defended Australia's short-lived Basketball World Cup campaign after the Boomers fell well short of expectations by failing to reach the knockout stage.
- The Boomers entered the World Cup ranked third, but did not make the last eight
- Losses to Germany and Slovenia in the group stage cost them
- Despite younger stars leading the way at the World Cup, Joe Ingles remains keen to play at the Paris Olympics in 2024
A 100-84 win over Georgia in Okinawa improved the Boomers' tournament record to 3-2, after losses to Germany and Slovenia knocked them out of quarterfinals contention.
The world number three and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallists, boasting a record nine NBA players, had designs on bettering a fourth place at the last World Cup in 2019.
Comfortable defeats of Finland, hosts Japan, and Georgia showed fresh elements to a new-look Boomers outfit helmed by 20-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Josh Giddey.
But they fell short in true tests against Germany and Luka Dončić-led Slovenia, with Australia's offence breaking down and their defensive lapses hurting them.
Goorjian did not select veteran Boomers Matthew Dellavedova or Aron Baynes, then didn't replace key centre Jock Landale when he injured his ankle on tournament eve.
The arrival of Giddey, Xavier Cooks, Jack White and Dyson Daniels — Josh Green and Duop Reath played limited role in the last Olympics — meant the side underwent major strategic renovations.
He barely used Daniels — a three-point shooting, defensively minded NBA rookie — or veteran shooter Chris Goulding.
But Goorjian said after the loss there were "holes" in a squad that needed "another big and another couple of shooters".
"I've read a lot, respect everyone's opinion," Goorjian said.
"I said to the group inside, 'I'm not embarrassed'.
"This isn't a continuation of rose gold [the Olympic bronze medal team] and I knew when I re-signed to come back to this that I'd have to do some nasty stuff and we'd be in a position of change.
"It's not just five new guys; it's major pieces."
Goorjian confirmed he would "definitely" lead the Boomers at the Paris Olympics next year, and said the shock recent expulsion of his Bay Area Dragons from their Chinese competition would give him more time to scout.
"[There's] a huge bright side for our next Olympic campaign," Goorjian said.
"I'm a little wound up, as you can tell. I'm fired up for the next challenge."
Another man pledging to be in France in 2024 was 35-year-old veteran Joe Ingles.
His three-point shooting and elite passing was not on display as much as usual in Japan, with the Boomers' lack of big men forcing him into a different role as a power forward.
Ingles took just 22 three-point attempts in five Cup games and made seven of them. He was scoreless against Slovenia, took just three shots against Germany, and finished with 10 points, six assists and five rebounds against Georgia.
Ingles, a mentor of Giddey's, said he wanted to be in Paris for his fifth Olympics and was adamant he could play a part as the Boomers hunt their first gold.
"It's a great group of guys," he said.
"You're going to have to kill me before you get me out of here."
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