Andersen, who at 212 centimetres is a centimetre short of seven feet, virtually confirmed his Olympic selection by winning the Most Valuable Player award in the Italian first division championship, leading Siena to a 3-0 victory over the powerful Skipper Bologna.

In game three at the weekend, Andersen had 20 points and 11 rebounds, building on 15 and seven in game two and 11 and six in game one - the figures are below usual top marks in National Basketball League games because European matches are 40 minutes in duration, not 48.

Andersen's progress will be welcomed by Boomers coach Brian Goorjian, who is trying to get the centre back from celebrations for the final Olympic selection camp that starts in Gosford on Friday.

If Andersen, who is from Frankston, does not return for the camp, he is expected to join the national team in Italy for games against Croatia, France and Italy from June 20-30.

A former junior star and an NBL player with Wollongong in 1998-1999 after leaving the Australian Institute of Sport, Andersen was in the running for the Olympic team as a role player until Anstey hurt his ankle.

Italian powerhouse Virtus Bologna recruited Andersen and he was developing into a key player until a shoulder injury that required a reconstruction ended his fourth season early last year.

Lacking match fitness, he played a minor role in the Boomers' Olympic qualification win over New Zealand in September before returning to Italy to join Siena when Virtus Bologna went broke.

With his European experience, he will be an important player in Athens. With younger talls Andrew Bogut and Luke Schenscher, he should remain so for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

After the Italian tour, the Boomers will play three away games against NZ (July 8-12) and return to Europe at the end of the month for the Diamond Ball tournament for continental champions in Belgrade - they won it in Hong Kong in the lead-in to the 2000 Olympics. Then it is on to Athens.

Their task there may be made easier by the continued defection of the first-choice United States team. Sacramento Kings guard Mike Bibby has told USA Basketball he will not play in the Olympics, leaving only two of the original nine selections on the squad.

That number includes Los Angeles Lakers centre Shaquille O'Neal and guard Kobe Bryant. Bibby told officials he wants more time to rest his body after the National Basketball Association season, but many players have security concerns.

The Opals, Australia's women's team, begin a series against China, South Korea and Poland in Cairns today.