Boomers call up a volunteer

Dumovic will play for the Gunners in the humble Belconnen Basketball Stadium on Saturday night, but the towering 208-centimetre centre-forward is on the national radar after being a shock selection in a 20-man Boomers squad.

The 20-year-old from Sydney is on scholarship at the AIS and volunteered to play with the Gunners in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) this season for nothing, hoping to gain the attention of NBL clubs.

He's gone better than that, catching the eye of new Australian Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis.

Canberra juniors Anthony Petrie (Adelaide 36ers) and Jesse Wagstaff (Perth Wildcats) have also made the Boomers squad from their respective NBL clubs, but

making the Australian team directly from the Gunners is unprecedented.

''It's an honour, especially for someone who's 20 years old and trying to make a living out of basketball,'' Dumovic said. ''To get a Boomers call is unbelievable. I've been to the under-17 and under-19 world champs with the [Australian] junior teams, but the Boomers team is a whole another level.''

Born in Montenegro, Dumovic moved to Australia when he was two and grew up in Maroubra in Sydney's east. He took up basketball at 12. Dumovic is aiming to pick up an NBL contract next season, but is also considering playing in Europe as he has dual citizenship.

Dumovic won't have any better mentor at the Boomers camp than assistant coach Luc Longley, who was the first Australian to play in the NBA and won three titles with the Chicago Bulls.

''It should be a great experience to get tips from a guy who dominated in his position,'' Dumovic said. ''I want to be able to try and contribute and give it a go.''

The Gunners had a partnership with the AIS last year to use scholarship players in the SEABL, but severed that deal this season because AIS players did not have the time to commit to all the training and games.

Gunners coach Brad Barnes said an exception was made this season for Dumovic, who missed last year with a knee injury.