Hoops

Opals - Olympic Qualifying Tournament

Agree on a new approach but I cannot see BA being cleaned out.

I think you’ll find their focus is on networking at top levels of government and industry, getting money and media distribution, and being a power player in global basketball, in order for the sport in this country to survive. Sadly, if that means that they don’t need to be that savvy or experienced in basketball, or that they’re not aware of ‘hidden’ Australians such as Thybulle, then we fans and players come way behind in their priorities.

That’s my perception, anyway: they haven’t shown much strength or direction in how they handled the Boomers issues, underperforming state organisations, quality + timely content on their website and in social media, ...

Yes , I too look forward to the new opals team beyond Tokyo with a new coach and with BA cleaned out.

Don’t care how much people say “we need her” the fact remains, if she wasn’t in the team and made to be the focal point, they would play a different style of game, a much faster one, that would suit the new style of Asia and Europe.

Her behaviour both on and off the court is disgraceful, and I agree, BA should stop making her their poster girl, she’s no role model

But then I suppose when BA do F all to really promote their women’s basketball, she’s not really going to influence too many

Those that run Basketball Australia need to take a good look at the AFLW and the women’s Cricket, and learn how you actually can get women’s sport in the main stream media......their cricket awards last night on the television, it was like the AFLW, which is like the Brownlow. Huge gala affair.

BA have their WNBL awards behind closed doors almost, only those select few are permitted to attend, it’s held in some dingy pub or restaurant, middle of the day, casual dress.....way to go to get it in the public eye.

It’s all about appearances, those appearances bring in sponsors, and sponsors money helps keep the sport afloat.

They would rather have every tiny bit of media exposure slapped with Cambage giving her fake facial expressions, like she the only player they have.

Time to clean house !

Yes, Wallace is 96 born with back 2 back acls out of college. Pretty much 2.5 years offthe court.

Wallace is 24? Yikes.

Yes, no doubt she’s toxic but if she wasn’t playing we would be obliterated. Carried us for years.

The post is in real trouble after Tokyo.
No more Tolo, George, bunton and potentially no more Cambage, Griffin also running on empty at 33-34y.o

Young guns in 2020 like Magbegor 21, Aokuso 22, smith 24, frolings 24, scherf 24, Garbin 26 are the next post players you would think.
Young Guards Rocci 22, Wallace 24, Mangakahia 25, Wehrung 25 should get there chances along with those already on the fringe.
We have a plethora of mid 20s sfs like Allen, Talbot, Blicavs, Kunek, Nicholson, Wilson to work with.
Not a whole lot of opals ready talent in college atm, Horvat, Sharp, Bibby and younger sophomores etc look way off the mark.

So, we beat Brazil and made it through. We deserved to, although we need to improve a lot to challenge at the WC.

But ... F*CK Cambage irritates me!!!! She can never do any wrong in her mind, no matter whether it’s a shove or a trip or a coathanger or a travel ... Her body language and facial expressions are what I’d expect from a spoilt little child. She irritates me even more than Redhage did! I’m amazed that she isn’t fouled off by halftime.

BA, please don’t ever use her as a role model in your advertising.

We are in trouble if sandy picks the same side, it’s not just a lack of preparation.
Every team only had a few days before hand except Japan.

Some interesting calls throughout... always happens though when you have refs from all over.

I had to cap this one for the LOLs

Tokyo qualifiers current rank with trend

USA-1 (-)
Australia-2 (down)
Spain-3 (down)
Canada-4 (up)
France-5 (-)
Serbia-7 (-)
China-8 (up)
Belgium-9 (up)
Japan-10 (up)
Nigeria-17 (up)
Korea-19 (-)
Puerto Rico-23 (up)


I think only 2 teams,we could guarantee victory and that’s the bottom 2, korea and Puerto Rico.

The level of competition is literally the least of the WNBL's problems IMO.

It’s not difficult to livestream at all, yet they haven’t got it right all season.

Easy to criticise, harder to do.

It’s a crap league, you can’t even debate it. It has good players in it for sure but it has been run by imbeciles for a long time.
Handing it over to lk would be the first step to getting the wnbl back to where it should be.

Great endorsement of WNBL by Canadian guard Kia Nurse in comments reported in FIBA website, following Canada's qualification for Tokyo. Extract:

"Suiting up with Canberra Capitals in the WNBL seems to be a great fit alongside her WNBA club duties with the New York Liberty and trying to break fresh ground with Canada.
"Australia is a really, really special place and it now holds special place in my heart," confirmed Nurse.
"I have loved both years that I have been there and the people are really great. It feels like a long way from home at times of course, but being an English speaking country helps me.
"As does the fact that we play less games than many leagues elsewhere and it has given me the chance to pick up more rest between playing for Canada and in the WNBA. But at the same time, still helping to develop my game.
"I honestly feel that playing in Australia has been one of the main reasons behind my jump forward between my first and second seasons in the WNBA - plus what I am now achieving with the national team," she added.

Give credit where credit is due. Others seem to acknowledge the value of our local league, despite its shortcomings.

RUN AT ME haters. Team has qualified for Tokyo despite you wanting them to fail.

Sandy with way too many excuses for me in the press conferences and interviews.

From the teams that have qualified, I can’t see us beating more than half of those with the squad we have but also the lineups chosen.

Congratz on qualifying, now alot of you should get cut...

Geez, i hope we dont qualify for 3x3.

We really know how to make hard work of this.
Credit where it's due - Blicavs played some good & composed minutes while many of her more experienced teammates were losing their minds

Mitchell
Cole
Ohea
Allen
Cambage

Ebzery
Garrick?
Kunek
Magbegor
George

Talbot
Tolo


Out?
Lavey
Nicholson
Blicavs
Smith

Wtf are u on about screen, china wouldn’t make top 12... they have been very good since end of WC.

Mitchell havin a good crack at the end. Hasn’t been herself so far this tourney.

Anyone still doubting that Mitchell is clearly our best PG?

Sandy won’t change, just like the mercury.

It would probably be good for Aus basketball if we get knocked out.

The power of Liz to unite people ... in support of her opponents. Shades of the 2018 world cup.

It would end up

Rico 2-1
France 2-1
Brazil 1-2
Australia 1-2

Yes.

Head to head first.
Points difference
Points for

Dont need mitchell imo, Ebzery offers pretty much the same, slightly less outside shooting but more defense. Need Griffin in this team.
Talbot and Nicholson have been poor. Kunek should get a look, so too Cole, 3x3 results pending.

Opals offence outside of Cambage & Allen is about as convincing as Monteiro's dribbling technique. Brazil having a real crack and good on em. Wish we were playing with their level of purpose.

Better test for Aus, Brazil fighting. Our defense is so bad, better off playing Allen at pf. Cambage with George togetherdoes bot work.
Why take smith if she was injured before hand?

Why is Liz Ellis on the Brazil bench?

Finally caught up with the Puerto Rico game. IMO there's not really much you can read into it when it's such a one-sided contest.
I enjoyed Gwathmey's game, and got some lols out of the French crowd jeering Liz every time she had a sook - which was often. Awful to see Salaman go down with a nasty-looking injury.
Nicholson looked pretty nervous to me. I hope she gets some more minutes tonight and looks for her shot.

Superb? You must be kidding. We would lose to most of the teams that have already qualified. Puerto Rico and Brazil should be easybeats.

USA, Spain, France, Japan, China, belgium, Canada, Serbia without injuries all look better than us.

Australia were superb and ran Puerto Rico off the court.

Nup, we need to beat Brazil.
Lose and we need Puerto Rico to lose also.
If We lose and Puerto Rico win, we’re out. Brazil would beat us on head to head, we finish 4th. No Tokyo.

Better ball movement, still crappy defense.

Anonymous
Today

This Wallace stan is very persistent I will give them that


LOL, yes they are, lets see if she still has what it takes when she finally plays again, thats providing her knee holds up. shes not played at senior level really anywhere yet, and sure she did well in college, but she didn't wipe the floor clean every game.

Right now Mitchell is still our best option for PG, she can score and she does play defense, but its her cool head that they need, she can steady the ship and get that bucket when they need it.

They have to stop this rubbish of Cambage and George playing PG bringing the ball down, its madness............and run the god damn bench

Then sandy is pickin favs. Kunek andcole are the best 2 Aussie scorers in wnbl atm. Griffin best rebounder.
Havin Olaf around is not a good thing imo, he should not be there.

Wallace / Ebzery
Cole / Nicholson
Allen / Ohea / Kunek
Griffin / Magbegor / Smith
Cambage / George

Because they are dedicated to 3x3. Let’s see what happens if they don’t qualify for3x3.

Most of the current players have become complacent and so they have no drive or desire. It shows, we need women with some balls, some kahonies like Griffin, Kunek, Wallace etc.

WC, no...
Mitchell, Nicholson, Blicavs. Tolo

We had..
Madgen, Whitcomb, Ohea, Bunton.

Who’s better?
Mitchell over Madgen
Whitcomb over Nicholson
Ohea over Blicavs
Bunton over Tolo


The draw at the WC was super easy for us, Spain the only quality nation we faced on 5e way to the final.
Don’t think we would have made on the other side of the draw.
Beaten by China, Japan, France last few games with several other poor performances along the way in the last year.

some friendlies before Tokyo would help sort that out.

Neither Wallace or Mangakahia have played at senior level , college ball is totally different

We are going to beat Brazil and Puerto Rico, go to the Olympics and have a poor result. Coach will leave, new coach in, veteran players retire. New cycle begins. Try and build back up to a tip 3 nation but it becomes much more difficult.

Wnbl form seems to mean very little in these tournaments.

I don't get the obsession with rushing Wallace into the team. Yes, she is a legit talent but it would be difficult for a seasoned pro to step into the Olympics team after that long off the court, let alone someone who has literally played 2 games of professional basketball.

I’d be willing to do that given she’s a great defender, passer and shooter, tough cookie too. What we need, like Griffin, Kunek etc