5) Team Oceania
Starters
Cameron Healy (Australia) – Albany
G | 6-3 | Fr | 16.7 PPG | 42.0 3P% | 90.0 FT%
Albany isn’t very good this year but they have something for the future in Cameron Healy. Healy is the only freshman this season to average at least 15 points while shooting above 40 3P% and over 90 FT%. This guy can light in up as he made nine three pointers in a 31 point performance February 2nd. Despite not playing a ton of high-level competition to this point, the youngster from Sydney is an excellent starting guard for Team Australia.
Dejan Vasiljevic (Australia) – Miami
G | 6-3 | Jr | 11.5 PPG | 39.3 3P% | 92.3 FT%
Vasiljevic is putting together a nice career for the Hurricanes. The junior loves to hang around the three-point line where he has taken over 80% of his field goal attempts on the season. By now, teams in the ACC should know not to give him open looks, but Vasiljevic seems to manage to get free game after game. Pair Vasiljevic with Healy and the result is an extremely potent shooting backcourt combo.
Kouat Noi (Australia) – TCU
F | 6-7 | So | 15.0 PPG | 4.6 RPG | 37.4 3P%
Noi has reached double-digit point totals in all but two games he’s played for the Horned Frogs, and when healthy Noi might be TCU’s most dangerous player. In fact TCU is 0-3 in Big 12 games Noi has missed. As a player he has the ability to affect the game in multiple ways. One play it might be a drilling a three from the corner, the next a put back slam dunk. Noi displayed this last week in a 20 point, 13 rebound win over Iowa State. Noi is simply a really fun player to watch and has the tools to get even better.
Jack White (Australia) – Duke
F | 6-7 | Jr | 4.6 PPG | 5.2 RPG
White has emerged this season as a legitimate contributor for Duke. More recently though, White has really struggled to shoot the basketball which has limited his playing time. With Team Australia, White wouldn’t have to worry about being subbed out quickly after missing a few. He may not get the chance to play big minutes every game for the Blue Devils, but White as one of top options for Team Oceania would be fun to see.
Jack Salt (New Zealand) – Virginia
C | 6-10 | Sr | 4.2 PPG | 4.3 RPG | 59.5 FG%
It felt right seeing Jack Salt and Jack White on the court as opponents twice so far this season. But, now seeing them in this lineup as teammates feels downright sublime. The two share similar styles of play in addition to same first names. Salt’s presence in UVA’s pack line defense and firm screens to free up shooters on offense has made Salt somewhat irreplaceable for Tony Bennett the last four years.
Subs
Tanner Krebs (Tasmania) – Saint Mary’s
G | 6-6 | Jr | 8.7 PPG | 40.2 3P%
Jordan Heading (Australia) – Cal Baptist
G | 6-2 | Fr | 14.9 PPG | 82.5 FT%
Sam Timmons (New Zealand) – Washington
F | 6-11 | Jr | 2.3 PPG | 62.5 FG%
Yanni Wetzell (New Zealand) – Vanderbilt
F | 6-10 | Fr | 5.3 PPG | 3.4 RPG
Jordan Hunter (Australia) – Saint Mary’s
C | 6-10 | Sr | 8.0 PPG | 6.4 RPG
Saint Mary’s seems to have limitless access to Australian talent so it’s nice to see them feature a couple of players. And while Tanner Krebs and Jordan Hunter may not be Patty Mills or Jock Landale, they are solid players in their own right. Not unlike Team Asia, the biggest question mark for Team Oceania is would they score enough? There’s some solid shooters here and Kouat Noi is really something, but unfortunately for Team Oceania, Ben Simmons is no longer in college.