Bermudian coach David Patrick will look to help the Australian men’s team get their campaign at the World Cup off to a flying start when they clash with Finland on Friday.

Patrick is assistant to head coach Brian Goorjian, with the duo working on improving Australia’s fourth position at the 2019 World Cup in China, when they missed out on a bronze medal after a 67-59 loss to France.

Australia, ranked third in the world going into the 32-team event, have a strong team with NBA players Xavier Cooks, Dyson Daniels, Dante Exum, Josh Giddey, Josh Green, Joe Ingles, Patty Mills, Matisse Thybulle, and Jack White on their roster.

After Finland, Australia will square off against Germany and Japan in Group E, with the top two countries in each of the eight groups proceeding to the second round.

It will be disappointing if Australia fail to secure one of the seven qualifying slots available at this World Cup for the Paris Olympics

Patrick, 47, was born in Bermuda before he moved to Australia and he played point guard for the Melbourne Tigers and professionally in the National Basketball League with the Canberra Cannons. He also had overseas stints in Spain and England.

In the 2022/23 season, Patrick guided Sacramento to 14 wins in his debut campaign as head coach, the best record by a first-year head coach in the school’s Division I era, and the third-best mark in programme history.

Patrick has also served on the coaching staff at the University of Oklahoma, University of Arkansas and St Mary’s College.