Zikarsky to compete at Albert Schweitzer Tournament alongside fellow Australian athletes on the rise

A squad of Australia’s brightest basketball talent including Brisbane Bullets Rocco Zikarsky are on their way to Manheim, Germany to compete against the world’s best for the 30th Albert Schweitzer Tournament.  
 
Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence team led by head coach Robbie McKinlay will kick off their campaign against Turkey on 30 March, before facing Czechia, Japan, Germany U18 and Slovenia in the group stage. 
 
McKinlay is taking a contingent of players with previous international tournament experience including Rocco Zikarsky, Roman Siulepa, Jack Whitbourn, Cooper Rowlings, Emmett Adair, Che Brogan and Jacob Furphy.  

It will be the first time donning the Green and Gold for Queenslander Mason Honeyman, South Australia’s Patrick D’Arcy & Alex Dodson as well as Victorian Luke Fennel. 
 
As Basketball Australia’s Director of High Performance, Coaching & Talent Identification, Peter Lonergan welcomes the Albert Schweitzer Tournament as a catalyst for team and player development.  
 
“The Centre of Excellence and Australian basketball has a proud tradition at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament and the event provides valuable competition against the games powerful nations,” said Lonergan.

“Exposing our young talent to meaningful international tournament play is so important as we look to identify and develop the next crop of Australian Boomers.” 
 
The Albert Schweitzer Tournament has been a gathering of elite basketball talent since the inaugural games in 1958. The tournament restructured in 1993 to align with the FIBA calendar and Australia has been a mainstay in the competition since 1994. 
 
The tournament continues to be prime scouting opportunity for professional leagues across the world and has featured previous Australian players Patrick Mills, David Andersen, Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova & Mitch Creek. 
 
Basketball Australia’s, Centre of Excellence squad kick off the group stage against Turkey on Saturday, March 30 2024 with the top four from each group progressing to the Qualification Round.  

 
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