AFTER his first National Basketball Association Summer League experience in the United States wound up on Saturday, Mitch Creek has had no time to rest on his laurels.
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The Horsham basketballer is now on the Gold Coast as part of an Australian Boomer selection camp ahead of the Asian Cup in August.
After the squad’s first training session on Thursday, Creek said it had been an exciting couple of weeks.
“I had an absolute blast in the states,” he said. “Just to be around some of those players and coaches at Utah was fantastic.
“It was an awesome experience and one that I was very fortunate to have.”
Creek participated in mini-camps with the Utah Jazz before getting court time in five Summer League games. In the Las Vegas league he averaged 5.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 13 minutes of court time.
He said he had received positive feedback about different aspects of his game including his hard work on defence, his on-court communication and the way he attacked on offence.
“I’m still waiting for a little bit more feedback,” he said.
The 25-year-old said he hoped he would get another opportunity to play Summer League in the future.
“Hopefully I will be able to showcase my talents even more with some extra court time,” he said.
“The biggest thing I will focus on doing now is just continuing to improve. If I can improve on different things each day then I’m giving myself the best chance but ultimately its up to others to invite me back.”
On the Gold Coast Creek is hoping to impress enough to win his way onto the 12-man squad for next month’s Asian Cup which Australia are likely to start favourites for.
“I just keep chipping away,” he said. “Our first session today was really good and I can’t even begin to explain how humbling it is even to be considered to play for your country.”
Having made it to the selection camp stage many times before Creek knows that even if he does not get selected it is not the end.
“All I can do is go out and do my best,” he said. “All I’m concerned with is continuing to make improvements.”
While Creek was making sure he enjoyed the experiences given to him he did not want to waste them.
“I have to relish the opportunity,” he said. “I can’t afford to be satisfied.”