Keanu Pinder was named Most Improved Player in Australia's NBL.Β 

 Keanu Pinder Twitter

Former Arizona forward Keanu Pinder will make his first appearance for Australia's national team during upcoming World Cup qualifying games in Melbourne.

Pinder was one of 12 players named to Australia's "Boomers" senior team, which will face China, Chinese Taipai and Japan in games from June 30-July 4.

Pinder, who played for the Wildcats in 2016-17 and 2017-18, picked up theΒ  Most Improved Player award last season in Australia's NBL after averaging 10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for the Cairns Taipans. Pinder shot 55% from the field and blocked an average of one shot per game.

Others named to the Australian team included: Matthew Dellavedova, Mitch McCarron, Will McDowell White, Sam McDaniel, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, Todd Blanchfield, Clint Steindl, Jack White, Jack McVeigh, Thon Maker and Sam Froling.

Arizona said it had a record 3.14 grade-point program average during the spring semester, and Christian Koloko is giving Kerr Kriisa the credit. (Arizona did not say which player had the 4.0).

Arizona said it was the second straight semester the men's basketball team set a record for GPA, with 3.14 this time. Of the 16 players on its roster, including walk-ons, UA said 12 had at least a 3.0, with eight of those over 3.5, including one with a 4.0.

In the fall semester, Arizona first broke the men's basketball GPA record set in fall 2003 with a 3.04 mark. It said four players had 4.0 GPAs, while four others had between a 3.5 and a 3.99.

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