UNIVERSITY OF Portland coach Eric Reveno has praised the development system in Australian basketball saying it allows the country to punch above its weight at international level.

Reveno’s Pilots met the Cairns Marlins on Monday night on the final leg of their Australian trip, going down 108-101 in the only loss of their four-match tour.

Reveno is familiar with Australian basketball, having played with former Boomer and Perth Wildcat Andrew Vlahov at college.

The Pilots will retain all members of this year’s team for the next NCAA season when it plays in the Western Coast Conference.

"It’s been a fantastic trip, we’ve taken full advantage of it basketball-wise and as experience to come down here and visit Australia it’s been great," Reveno said.

"(Monday’s) game was fantastic as well. It was a great challenge for us and they exposed a lot of things we need to work on.

"(The Marlins) compare very favourably (to a college side) but the players are just older and the strength level – our guys are 20-21 and they’re 23, 24, 25 – there’s a difference there our guys don’t quite
understand."

Reveno expected to see more Australians play in the US given the country’s strong development program.

"I think there’s quite the transition (to be made) at the top of the country’s basketball, the NBL and
everything.

"But the development system with the states and the AIS, seems very good, there’s a nice structure there.

"You talk to Australian basketball people and they say it could get better … but in the States, there’s no structure, so (Australia) is doing a real nice job of developing their young players.

"For Australia to be as good as it is internationally in basketball with a 20 million population is really impressive."

The Marlins head back to Queensland Basketball League competition this weekend, hosting Gladstone in Cairns.

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