Going into this World Cup, there was a lot of clout about the Opals and how much they would be able to achieve without the dominant size of Liz Cambage.

 

She stands at 6”8 which is 203cm tall makes her a force to be reckoned with as she can shoot the ball and use her size and strength down low which makes her a handful against smaller teams.

 

Now with her future in basketball unclear, this put doubt over how far the Opals can progress in an international competition.

 

Sandy Brondello proved that this team could handle the international stage just fine without Cambage.

 

There were many amazing moments for the Opals during the Women’s World Cup, we can’t wait to see what’s next for the team. We have given a full in-depth analysis for what the future may look like for the Australian Women’s Basketball Team.

 

 

Game (1) Opals-Vs-France | 22/09/2022

The first game the Opals played against France was a rocky start for the team, on both ends there were holes that needed to be fixed. On defence, Australia looked unfocused due to France’s Gabby Williams making liked work of the Opals defence by scoring at an extraordinary rate 66% and finishing the game with 23 points.

 

It was evident Australia was lacking chemistry as France who has been playing together longer, came out more polished in the first quarter by forcing the Opals out of their offensive systems.

 

The Aussies really showed how good they could be in spurts, matching the pace of France to get within a decent chance for the win, however the French team was able to maintain a margin through Gabby Williams. France won the game by 13 points 70 – 57.

 

 

Game (2) Opals-Vs-Mali | 23/09/2022

Mali was a late admission due to administrative issues hindering the inclusion of a team from Nigeria.

 

Australia showed poise in this game and made light work of Mali winning the game by 60 points, 118 to 58. This was a great game for the Opals offensively, however its not to say that there were holes that need addressing.

 

Seven Opals players scored in double-digits which was too much for Mali to handle with only two of theirs scoring in double figures.

 

On defence, the Opals could have been able to hold the team from Mali to a lower score under 50 points. Teams such as the USA play a hard outside perimeter defence which makes an easy throw for the offensive passer to complete in-to the post players.

 

This way the post players are likely going to have to catch the ball out of the preferred position to score.

 

The Opals offence showed great teamwork and initiative as there were many times when Mali failed to properly switch and position themselves on defence which gave Australia frequent opportunities to score.

 

Mali was a tenacious team for the whole tournament, playing with a lot of grit and determination. However, they were unlucky to not get a win despite having close and competitive games against other teams.

 

It’s tough to know what exactly is being said behind closed doors, however it seems that the Opals were able to iron out some of their kinks as the Aussies were able to win all their games up until the semi-final which will be covered later in this article.

 

 

Game (3) Opals-Vs-Serbia | 25/09/2022

There were multiple adjustment’s the Opals made that could be seen from the French game which were noticeable against Serbia.

 

The Serbs could not get a clean shot off down low, the Opals defence swarmed the Serbian bigs as well as double and triple teaming anyone with a possession inside from drives and passes which made it near impossible for Serbia to make an outlet pass to an open player

 

The only option for Serbia was to score from plays made by penetrations through Yvonne Anderson.

 

Anderson kept the Serbs close in this game, however Steph Talbot was instrumental in stopping her from making any easy shots. Anderson to only 16 points and shooting at 46%. Yvonne was the highest assist leader for her team with 6 assists.

 

Marianna Tolo was Australia’s prime force down low scoring 4 from 6 inside shots at 66% and going delivering a faultless performance at the free throw line scoring all 4 points. Tolo’s selflessness was evident as she had a team high of 5 assists.

 

The Opals team effort was exceptional as everyone played a great team role without showing disruptive ego to the team’s chemistry. The level of chemistry earned the Opals the 15-point win 69 – 54.

 

Under utilised in this game was Kristy Wallace. She had just under 10 minutes of game time however was able to show extraordinary glimpses into what she can provide, if she’s given the right opportunity.

 

Understandably, Wallace is the point guard coming off the bench for Sami Whitcomb who can provide vital experience not seen on a stat sheet.

However, Kristy is able to provide solid minutes not as a jump shooter which is a main source of Whitcomb’s offence, but as a distributer to shooters such as Sami Whitcomb herself, Steph Talbot and other players like Bec Allen who provide a solid outside game which includes penetration.

 

The Opals inside game against Serbia was extraordinary on both ends of the court. Cayla George, Steph Talbot, Marianna Tolo and Bec Allen weren’t giving up any space to Serbia’s tall’s to get any easy shots, they were very disruptive on defence by causing many deflections that lead to turnovers.

 

Australia was able to force the Serbian talls out of an easy catch inside, any 3-point attempts from outside made little difference for Serbia as they shoot 31.8% from behind the arch.

 

This was a solid win for the Opals who had a convincing 15-point win over Serbia 69 – 54.

 

Bec Allen showed why she is a core member of the Opals, in a game where she went due to a nasty rib injury. Allen did enough to earn MVP for the game with a solid 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals.

 

 

Game (4) Opals-Vs-Canada | 26/09/2022

Canada would come to be a different beast for the Opals to handle, when you have the poise of the Opals who can show up under pressure. Pressure is what brings the best out of players, there were three players that fought against a healthy Canadian Squad for a 3-point win.

 

When the Opals played Canada in New York in their pre-tournament practise games, the Opals won 2 out of 3 as their key players like Kia Nurse and Nirra Fields for Canada weren’t healthy.

 

In this game, it looked very similar for both teams as Canada won the first quarter by 9 points 23 – 14, then the next quarter Australia won which put the Opals in front by 5 points, 38 – 33 going into the main break.

 

Canada looked like they were going to regain control of the game by winning the third quarter by 11 points 24 – 13 bringing the total at three quarter time to 58 – 51 in favour of the Canadians.

 

Sami Whitcomb’s veteran experience stepped up and gave the Opals the win scoring 11 out of her 15 points in the fourth quarter.

 

The Opals defence gave themselves the edge against Canada, however their offence showed cracks because of scoring inconsistencies.

 

After the game, we had a brief interview with Opals Head Coach Sandy Brondello touched on some keys to the game for use which was to keep an eye on Canada’s Kia Nurse who broke down Australia’s defence every time she didn’t use a screen.

Brondello frequently highlighted with her team that they need to keep forcing Nurse to use the screen and get the ball out of her hands.

 

The comments from Sandy slowed down Canada’s ability to score in the final quarter, the game looked like it would finish with the Opals winning by 6 points however Canada’s Nirra Fields closed out the game with a last second 3 point shot to close their deficit by 3 points 75 – 72.

 

Ezi Magbegor took out the MVP for scoring consistently right throughout the game with 16 points, grabbing 7 rebounds and being an excellent force on defence by blocking 5 incredible 5 shots.

 

Once the Opals sorted out the kinks in the teamwork, they were really a force to be reconned with.

 

Despite losing Bec Allen in an earlier game, the Opals are able to find consistency with Sara Blicavs. She has an enthusiastic motor on both ends which will turn out to be a vital part of getting Australia extra wins in Allen’s absence.

 

Blicavs definitely deserves a spot as an Opal, however she could be utilised in a different way instead of at the small forward position.

 

In the FIBA competition, Sara has the skill set is suitable for the 3 – 4 spot, she has the agility for the 3 and height for the 4 spot. In the absence of Bec Allen, Steph Talbot has the skill set to add diversity to the front court.

 

Blicavs can shoot a great inside shot and has the depth to shoot from the 3-point line which would make her difficult to defend against conservative players at the 4 and 5 position.

 

The win toppled Canada from the top spot who were undefeated until this game.

 

Game (5) Opals-Vs-Japan | 27/09/2022

In the fifth and final game of the group phase of the competition, the Opals played against a very undersized Japanese team who were incomparable to the exhibition games leading up to the world cup.

 

Japan had a rock solid 3 point shot which caused a problem for the Opals where they had to readjust to better protect the perimeter.

Focus was key on defence to getting this win for Australia as Japan could prove they were deadly from as they scored sixteen 3’s from behind the arch against Mali.

 

At half time, Japan was trailing the Opals by only two points 36 – 34. The tall’s for Australia couldn’t handle the outside game of the Japanese bigs as there were avoidable fouls made by Australia on Japanese 3-point shooters.

 

Sandy Brondello made necessary adjustments in using players such as Darcee Garbin and Cayla George to defend the perimeter better and stretch the floor. A combination of these two-playing stretched defensive outside of the 3-point line stopped Japan from dominating the game from behind the arch.

 

Marianna Tolo played incredible in the second half, as she dominated the post down low. Her size was way too much to handle, Tolo finished the game as the second leading scorer with 14 points behind Sami Whitcomb’s 15 points.

 

It can be hard to scout a team that has different threats, if a team is shooting a 3 then the next shot maybe a 2 pointer which can be hard to defend especially when there is no one playing split line defence.

 

Games like this show the Opals need for versatility from players like Sara Blicavs who has the size and speed to be affective at defending at the 4.

 

There is a phrase “fight fire with fire”, if players can actively disrupt the opposition by providing an equal to or greater than skill set.

 

Japan had a great team in the world cup that was quick, could shoot and drive very well. Playing too many players that lack versatility with lateral and horizontal defence opens holes. The Opals squad for this tournament held all the correct players who could provide many benefits on both offence and defence.

 

Sara Blicavs could have definitely been a factor in making an early impact at the 4 position in this game where she could have been crucial in establishing a lead as she has the correct game IQ, size, agility and motor against the Japanese team.

 

Australia won their fourth straight after the 17-point win over Japan 71 – 54. With the Opals clinching the win in the last game of the pool round, they luckily avoided a quarter final match up with team USA.

 

Quarter-Final-Vs-Belgium | 29/09/2022

This was the best way for Australia to qualify for a medal as the path started with a quarter final match up against Belgium who weren’t operating at full strength with the loss of their key player Emma Meesseman.

 

Sara Blicavs couldn’t be contained by Belgium; she was alert on defence and offensive. She was a fierce disruptor on defence which gave the Opals ample opportunities to score on offence.

 

At the start of the game, Blicavs was frequently on the receiving end of passes ended with her scoring off plays she started on defence.

 

She started the game by providing the energy which led to scoring 6-quick points that Belgium had no answer for

 

There were four players which did not disappoint for Belgium who all scored in double digits. Comprehensively, the Belgium game for the Opals was the best of the tournament strategy wise as the adjustments the Opals made were kept Belgium having to keep thinking on their feet.

 

The Opals looked poised and very composed. Australia had the answers to many of Belgium’s adjustments which gave them the 17 point win over Belgium 86 – 69.

 

Semi-Final-Vs-China | 30/09/2022

Australia advanced to play China in the semi-finals. The Opals and China shared a very similar tournament record until their clash.

 

Up until the finals, both the China and Australia showed incredible dominance of the tournament.

 

China in the semi-finals would bring back some de jávu from Tokyo which saw China win off a last second whistle which gave number 14 Li Yueru two free throws. She made both which sent them through to the final to play the USA women’s team,

 

This tournament saw the Opals bring a different team than what you saw at the Tokyo Olympics.

 

When Liz Cambage withdrew not long before the start of the Olympic games, it threw a spanner in the works with how Australia would play the tournaments competition.

 

The inconsistencies caused by Cambages absence were present, however the true chemistry without Liz was revealed when the Opals played China in the group phase.

 

The Opals only lost by 2-points in the last moments of the game despite an amazing fight back. The next game, the Opals won against Puerto Rico which got them through to the quarter finals where they lost to the USA women’s team.

 

Redemption was on the minds of the Opals; however, it wasn’t meant to be.

 

Sami Whitcomb was the top scorer of this game with 15 points however it came at a cost of shooting at a low tournament low of 31%. It was clearly evident that Whitcomb had some tired legs up to the semi-finals as her lethal shooting consistency was not seen.

 

You wouldn’t be mistaken if you thought Australia was playing away in China with how animated the Chinese supporters were for their women’s team. The crowd was electric every time Australia was at the free throw line and every time an Opals player shot the ball.

 

This may have impacted the Opals poise, Marianna Tolo missed wide open opportunities which really hurt the Opals gaining any offensive momentum.

 

Tolo’s misses were not the be all and end all of why the Australia lost. For some teams, you can comfortably reply on players to points on the scoreboard which usually comes from running a set play. When a motion is not working, the next go to is the alternative player on the bench.

 

Kristy Wallace played 9:23, she was able to provide excellent energy which isn’t a skill that can be seen on a stat sheet.

 

Wallace brings to the Opals incredible speed, energy and strength which gives her the ability to driver deep to keep the opposition on their feet defensively.

 

Her energy could have been particularly useful in the game against China as Kristy was able to draw fouls and adequately distribute the ball to the players open perimeter

 

Wallace is a great back up to Whitcomb as a ball carrier or as a duo on court this way Sami doesn’t have to be the main ball carrier which could maintain her energy better.

 

Moving forward the Opals need to explore versatility in how their on-court combinations maybe used just like how China could use both of their talls.

 

Another area that showcases China’s versatility can be seen in their guards. Quick guards can give inside post players a possession in their best spot such as 205cm tall Chinese centre Han Xu.

 

Xu was the difference for China. The Opals had a 4-point lead at the end of the first quarter 17 – 13.

 

It seemed everything was going Australia’s way until the second quarter which saw Han score 11 of her 19 points. There was ample opportunity for the Opals to handle Han Xu’s run. As mentioned above, Marianna Tolo was the recipient of a lot of passes inside but couldn’t convert some basic opportunities.

 

Who knows what it would be like as a player to compete with a crowd of 11,916 who attended this game.

 

There may have been multiple reasons that made the Opals feel the pressure in this game, the Chinese crowd was loud, or it could have been as basic as fatigue with eight games in ten days.

 

During the tournament, Canadian Head Coach Victor Lapena made frequent comments in press conferences about the tight World Cup schedule which does not allow adequate time for players to maintain a reasonable level of recovery.

 

The Opals couldn’t regain the lead after Han Xu’s scoring run, China won the second quarter by 10 points but was still trailing by 4 points 30 to 26.

 

The third quarter didn’t see any change in the momentum, Lauren Jackson came on and caused her usual stir of the opposition.

 

However, Han Xu was ready to use all 205cm of her to keep the Opals from gaining any offensive momentum.

 

Now Xu’s scoring began to stabilise, this brought the game back to an even playing field which saw the Opals winning the third quarter only by 3 points 14 – 11 but still trailing by 3 points 47 – 44.

China knew there was a resurgence from the Opals, Sandy Brondello did her best to settle her side so they can play their style. However, despite winning the fourth quarter by 1 point, Australia was not able to win losing by two points 61 – 59.

 

Ezi Magbegor had the opportunity to send the game into OT with a second layup attempt, however the attempt was a miss.

 

There were many moments when the Opals could have pegged back the deficit and won the game such as the described Tolo’s misses and Sami Whitcomb’s low shooting rate.

 

China had a decent mixture of players who can drive and shoot on offence. It’s important to also bring the same energy on offence as well.

 

The Opals have excellent spot up shoots, however in the game against China they were missing someone with the grit and strength on both ends of the court like Kristy Wallace.

 

Wallace would have been a great match up with Whitcomb and Talbot. This trio would have made a mess of China’s defence as they can all shoot very well from midrange and beyond the arch. When you include combination of bigs such as Cayla George and Marianna Tolo who can convert very well playing on the inside.

 

This particular combination can take pressure off the core group of players as they can be interchanged with others with a similar skill set.

 

Reluctancy to play a different group of players that sat outside of the usual rotations did not meet the level of play needed to compete to get the win over China.

 

The scouting reports at Sandy Brondello’s disposal are critical to understanding how the opposition plays. The game could have switched to the Opals way if she was as reluctant to change up the combinations, she had on court at one time.

 

For example, there are some great players Sandy could have used interchangeably as a guard and forward. This would keep the level of pace matched with China who play a very quick game in certain areas.

 

Driving can find the holes in the oppositions defence when they commit fouls. Australia had too much reliance on their structures of substitution and not enough focus on an alternative plan to find the defensive weaknesses.

 

Having a plan ‘B’ can ensure the Opals can go deeper into competitions moving forward theirs going to be superior teams like China who will require extra thought outside of the plans to get passed.

 

In Tokyo and in the recent FIBA World Cup, China has shown themselves to be the ‘Gate Keeper’ for the Opals need to work on beating so they can achieve deeper progress towards being legitimate contenders in the gold, silver games in tournaments in the near future.

 

Bronze-Medal-Final-Vs-Canada | 01/10/2022

With the loss in the semi-final, the Opals next game was against Canada who went down to the notoriously victorious USA Women’s team.

 

The bronze medal game showed a completely different game to the day before, the Opals didn’t show any signs of a narrow loss and were focused on the complete outset.

 

Despite trailing for the for almost six minutes in the first half, the Opals gained the lead with solid defence on Canada’s key scorers.

 

We interviewed Sandy Brondello after the Australia’s 3-point win over Canada in the pool rounds, Brondello said that she made comments to the Opals such as “Kia Nurse is scoring when she doesn’t use a screen, force her to use it”.

 

The advice and scouting report on Canada was well followed which gave the Opals a cruisie win by 30 points 95 – 65.

 

There were a lot of areas that went wrong for Canada such as their key inside defender Kayla Alexander racking up 4 fouls. Once Alexander was substituted off the court, this gave Lauren Jackson a lot of room to work on the smaller and inexperienced Canadian tall’s.

 

Lauren played phenomenal in her last game wearing the green and gold.  In a post Cambage era for the Opals, her selection into the World Cup team was vital in order for Australia to find stability off the bench.

Summary

Throughout the tournament, the Opals showed incredible poise and teamwork despite being undersized in some circumstances. Sandy Brondello did an excellent job with her team selection.

 

The group she brought to the World Cup had an extraordinary skill set to compete on the world stage. The inclusion of Sami Whitcomb as a starter was a crucial addition for many reasons. Whitcomb in recent years has been unlucky to find a spot despite how well she plays as the Opals talent pool is understandably too big to choose from.

 

The Australian Opals program has a bright future, the idea to rely on the scouting reports is necessary. Moving forward, the program will need to find adaptability in its on-court combinations to the most effective in gaining a gold or silver medal.

 

There is a while now between international tournaments which brings up different issues such as the aging elite in the current Opals program. One such matter is finding a suitable replacement for Lauren Jackson who is now retired from international competition.

 

Basketball Australia may want to consider players like Lauren Scherf who stands at 196cm, Scherf plays with a lot of grit and toughness on both ends of the court. She isn’t only capable in playing well in the post, Scherf can also provide a great deep shot as well.

 

There were many players in the pre-tournament world cup team who are capable in becoming full time members of the Opals, however it is important to find the right players that can fit the current system and be used in different combinations when its necessary.

 

Now Sandy Brondello has a great team on her hands, the Opals look like they are definitely heading in the right direction.