Anonymous
Years ago

Opals extended squad for 2014 World Championship

Sporting a mix of established Opals stars with Olympic experience and emerging young talent, Head Coach Brendan Joyce said the squad has a view for the World Championships and building towards the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and beyond.

"I wanted to bring in players that I really think can play and give them an opportunity to be exposed to the Opals program," Joyce said.

“We see this extended squad as an opportunity to expose more players to what we are doing here in the Jayco Australian Opals program - not just for the now, but for the future – so the players who will become the Opals of the future understand the expectations and fit seamlessly into the squad.

“We've included some young players in the squad and it’s important we do it now and not wait until years down the track.

“With their involvement in the Opals program we could see one of these players use the opportunity to dramatically expediate their development and maybe even force their way into contention for this year’s World Championships.”

... The Opals embark on a busy training period over the coming months, with camps scheduled for Canberra in late March and the Gold Coast in mid-April....

...The squad for the upcoming camp (23-28 March) at the Basketball Australia National Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Canberra will be announced early next week.

The 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women will be played in Turkey from 27 September to 5 October.

http://www.wnbl.com.au/index.php?id=81&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=5052&tx_ttnews[backPid]=1&cHash=18a55c0024

Jayco Australian Opals extended squad for the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women

Rebecca Allen Melbourne Boomers

Suzy Batkovic Townsville Fire

Abby Bishop Canberra Capitals/PEAC Pecs (Hungary)

Natalie Burton West Coast Waves

Elizabeth Cambage Beijing Bulls (China)/Tulsa Shock (WNBA)

Stephanie Cumming Townsville Fire

Katie-Rae Ebzery Sydney Uni Flames

Jessica Foley Adelaide Lightning

Cayla Francis Nantes (France)

Laura Hodges Adelaide Lightning

Natalie Hurst Canberra Capitals/Canik Belediyesi (Turkey)

Lauren Jackson Canberra Capitals/Heilongjiang Shenda (China)

Rachel Jarry Melbourne Boomers/Minnesota Lynx (WNBA)

Alice Kunek Dandenong Rangers

Emma Langford Logan Thunder

Tessa Lavey Bendigo Spirit

Tess Madgen Melbourne Boomers

Rachael McCully Townsville Fire

Carley Mijovic Canberra Capitals

Leilani Mitchell Dandenong Rangers

Mia Newley Townsville Fire

Jenna O'Hea Dandenong Rangers/Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA)

Erin Phillips Indiana Fever (WNBA)

Gabrielle Richards Bendigo Spirit

Lauren Scherf Dandenong Rangers

Jennifer Screen Adelaide Lightning

Belinda Snell CCC Polkowise (Poland)

Stephanie Talbot Adelaide Lightning

Penny Taylor Phoenix Mercury (WNBA)

Marianna Tolo Bourges (France)

Kristen Veal Logan Thunder

Kelly Wilson Bendigo Spirit

Hanna Zavecz Logan Thunder

Topic #33932 | Report this topic


XY  
Years ago

I thought I counted wrong, but no, 33 names. If you were one of the 45 or so other Australian women playing professional basketball around the world to have missed out, you must be spewing. Might as well just have open tryouts!

Reply #462234 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Great to see so many good players, but seriously Lauren Sherf, yes she amazing for her age but she would be eaten alive at a world champs, suppose the experience in training would be good. If the likes of Cammbage and Jackson were actually available for the camps, and what's with Tess Lavey making this squad, Joyce makes no sense sometimes, she's not even strong enough to make a worlds team in juniors or get a run off the bendigo bench , even last year in SEABL, yet she's making an opals line up?????? Got to wonder don't you

Reply #462247 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I think you will find that players like Sherf & Lavey have been selected for the following reason:

*"We see this extended squad as an opportunity to expose more players to what we are doing here in the Jayco Australian Opals program - not just for the now, but for the future - so the players who will become the Opals of the future understand the expectations and fit seamlessly into the squad.*

I don't think Joyce is seriously expecting those 2 to be serious contenders for the world championships this year, but he may believe they be pushing for spots in 3 or 4 years time. Instead of waiting that length of time, he probably wants to get a few of these younger players involved now to expose them to what is involved in an Opals camp, what is expected of Opals players & maybe to try and help further their development.

It is important for Joyce to focus on the world championships this year and those who are realistic chances to play, but I think it is also good to see him looking at the future and wanting to make sure there is regeneration to the team (even if some of these players are 3 or 4 years away) rather than a continual reliance on the same individuals.

Reply #462255 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Why are Scherf and Lavey making this squad, when there is no mention of Sara Blicavs? She should be way ahead of them, even when looking at 'future opals'.

Reply #462286 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

No idea about Blicavs - need to remember she was added to his first extended squad last year (preparation for the Uni Games & Oceania Championships) after the press release announcing those who were selected, and I don't believe she has actually been selected for any squads since.
She wasn't selected for the follow-up Oceania Championship squad, not was she selected in the training squad that was selected in January - question is why is she not getting selected?

Reply #462295 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

wallace over lavey in a heartbeat for future opals prospects.

Reply #462305 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I'm in agreeance with the above posters about Blicavs. Great player who has a great future why ain't she be being picked.

Reply #462313 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

^Thanks for the post Boti^ - Usually you only pump up your niece on your own Website!

Reply #462330 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

What does the team look like being?

C - Cambage / Batkovic / Tolo
PF - Jackson / Bishop
SF - Taylor / Jarry
SG - O'Hea / Snell / Ebzery
PG - Phillips / Mitchell

With Francis, Madgen, Hodges, Kunek, Hurst and Allen on the fringe?

Reply #462341 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

5. Cambage, Batkovic.
4-5. Jackson
4. Bishop.
4-3. Hodges.
3. Taylor, Allen.
2. O'hea, Ebzery.
2-1. Phillips.
1. Mitchell, Veal.

I like veal over hurst, allen over jarry, ebzery over kunek and bishop over richards at this point in time.

I think hodges could be replaced with another big like tolo or richards or go for another 2-3 like Jarry, Madgen or Kunek.

Reply #462416 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Batkovic & O'hea have both withdrawn their available for the World Championships:

http://www.basketball.net.au/batkovic-ohea-withdraw-opals-2014-campaign/

Reply #463528 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Squad cut down to 20:
The Wattle Valley WNBL's best will again get a chance to press their claim to be a part of the Jayco Australian Opals 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women team, with a host of players named in the Gold Coast training camp squad tipping off later this month.

17 of the 20-strong squad ply their trade in the WNBL, with several of the brightest young stars in the competition surviving the cut following last month’s camp at the Basketball Australia National Centre of Excellence.

After receiving a late call-up to the Canberra camp, Capitals centre Alex Bunton has made the most of her opportunity, with the 20-year-old impressing the Jayco Opals coaching staff enough to secure her place for the Gold Coast.

Bunton is one of a host of young players included, joining teammate Carley Mijovic, Lauren Scherf (Dandenong Rangers) and Rebecca Allen (Melbourne Boomers) as some of the players emerging as the next generation get their chance.

The Jayco Opals are in camp on the Gold Coast from 13-18 April, with eight WNBL teams represented in the squad.


Jayco Australian Opals April Training Camp Squad - Gold Coast

Rebecca Allen Melbourne Boomers

Alex Bunton Canberra Capitals

Natalie Burton West Coast Waves

Elizabeth Cambage Beijing Bulls (China)

Stephanie Cumming Townsville Fire

Katie-Rae Ebzery Sydney Uni Flames

Jessica Foley Adelaide Lightning

Laura Hodges Adelaide Lightning

Natalie Hurst Canberra Capitals/Canik BLD (Turkey)

Alice Kunek Dandenong Rangers

Tess Madgen Melbourne Boomers

Rachael McCully Townsville Fire

Carley Mijovic Canberra Capitals

Leilani Mitchell Dandenong Rangers

Erin Phillips Phoenix Mercury (WNBA)

Gabrielle Richards Bendigo Spirit

Lauren Scherf Dandenong Rangers

Jennifer Screen Adelaide Lightning

Penny Taylor Phoenix Mercury (WNBA)

Kelly Wilson Bendigo Spirit


Attending injured players

Rachel Jarry Melbourne Boomers

Reply #467370 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I don't see L.J. on this list?

Reply #467372 | Report this post




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