Quiet one
Years ago
Opals complete sweep
Not sure if this has been posted already, tried to have a look but couldnt find anything. Apologies if it has:
The Opals have swept the Oceania series with New Zealand with a 67-38 win over the Tall Ferns in the final match in Te Awamutu.
But the win has come at a cost for the Australians with point guard, Alicia Poto, injuring her left knee in the third quarter.
Early reports suggest she has damaged her anterior cruciate ligament damage, which would rule her out of the WNBL season and Commonwealth Games next March.
Jae Cross was also injured, slipping a disk in her back in the first quarter.
Australia had already qualified for the 2006 World Championships in Brazil with its victory in the second game of the series, but didn't play with any less intensity in the final match.
Jacinta Hamilton led the Opals with 18 points, while Hollie Grima and Carly Wilson had 12 each.
Angela Marino and Donna Loffhagen both had nine points for the Tall Blacks.
"We showed a positive improvement to last night's performance," Opals coach Jan Stirling said.
"I felt we came together as a team, and we overcame the adversity of losing our top two point guards."
The Australians held the home side to just 27 per cent from the field and forced them into 30 turnovers.
"I was also happy that our defence was able to keep them to five points in the second and final terms," Stirling said.
Australia 67 (Jacinta Hamilton 13, Hollie Grima 12, Carly Wilson 12)
New Zealand 38 (Angela Marino 9, Donna Loffhagen 9)
