MATTHEW Dellavedova’s rise through the ranks of Australian basketball has continued with the former Bendigo junior selected in the Australian Boomers senior squad to tour South America.The Maryborough teenager is one of five rookies named in the experimental 12-man squad squad which departed yesterday for a six-game tour.Dellavedova’s superb form as captain of the Emus at the recent World Under-19 Championships and a strong performance at last week’s five-day training camp in Sydney earned him selection.New Boomers coach Brett Brown said the promotion of Dellavdova, his AIS team-mate Jason Cadee, US college players Aron Baynes and Luke Nevill and NBL centre Matt Burston was a pointer to the London Olympics in 2012. “This was always going to be an inexperienced side because we’re looking at the big picture for London 2012,” said Brown. “All the debutants have trained very well, there’s no shortage of talent, and we’re excited to give them a chance.”Australia will play Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay two times each on tour in Argentina and Brazil before returning home on August 10. The tour is part of the Boomers’ preparation for the 2009 FIBA Oceania Championship against New Zealand, tipping off on August 23 in Sydney, where world championship seeding is on the line.Should Dellavedova be selected in the squad for the Oceania Championships he will be forced to delay the start of his college career in the United States with St Mary’s.At this stage Dellavedova is scheduled to fly out to California on August 22 where he has a scholarship with the same school that helped launch the career of another Australian guard - NBA draftee Patrick Mills.Dellavedova will be one of five Australians on the St Mary’s 15-man roster.Australian squad for the South American tour: David Barlow, Aron Baynes, Matt Burston, Jason Cadee, Peter Crawford, Matthew Dellavedova, Oscar Forman, Adam Gibson, Joe Ingles, Nathan Jawai, Luke Nevill, Stephen Weigh.Kerryn Harrington has helped the Gems into the super eights section of the Under-19 World Basketball Championships for women in Thailand.The Gems were undefeated in the preliminary round and topped their group leading into last night’s (AEST) clash with Lithuania.The former Bendigo Spirit guard impressed in the Gems’ three earlier matches.Harrington had 11 points, three rebounds and three assists in the 99-41 demolition of Korea, 10 points, four rebounds and four assists in the crucial 66-57 triumph over France and three points in the 75-51 win over Argentina.She is equal third in the competition for most assists.The Gems play Lithuania, Czech Republic and Brazil in the super eights, while looking ahead Russia, Spain and the United States appear to be the Gems’ biggest threats.