Basketball On The Internet.

THE Basketball world is buzzing with speculation Kevin Lisch and Damian Martin both will be in the Boomers' 12 for Rio, with Brad Newley the shock omission.

Social media has been in meltdown since last night that Newley, a Beijing and London Olympian, has tragically missed his shot at a third Games, with Joe Ingles and Ryan Broekhoff the preferred swingman/small forward options.

That's no huge surprise, but perhaps Newley missing the cut for the 12 might be.

Already sure of their plane tickets were Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, Ingles, Aron Baynes, Andrew Bogut, Broekhoff and David Andersen.

Lisch making the team is a huge positive, the naturalised dual and reigning NBL MVP an asset in every sense of the word.

Probably Martin would be the biggest surprise. But with coach Andrej Lemanis saying his team will be "up the floor", Damo is a terrific exponent of that style of pressure.

Nathan Jawai also is out of the 12 I've been hearing, as are Adam Gibson and Cam Gliddon, Basketball Australia to announce its team tomorrow, ahead of Tuesday and Thursday nights' "Farewell Series" against the Pac-12 All Stars at Hisense Arena.

So there are spots there for Chris Goulding, Cam Bairstow and Brock Motum. Then again, also heard Aleks Maric has made it, not sure though if it's as the "13th man" insurance for Bogues or in his own right.

THE Tall Blacks will not be joining their cross-Tasman rivals in Rio after losing their Pre-Olympic qualifying semi final 78-72 today to Canada.

The Canadians will meet France to determine which nation qualifies from Manila, Serbia through from the Belgrade qualifier and Croatia in via Turin where it beat Italy in overtime to seal its Olympic berth.

Corey Webster led New Zealand with 21 points, Breakers' NBL teammate Tom Abercrombie with 16, Tai Jack Webster with 15 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Cory Joseph led Canada with 23.

NZ OUT: BJ Anthony battling Canada in the qualifying semi.