Well done to that 18 - all are deserving of making the squad IMO.

It does say that players external to that 18 would be considered for the second camp (which I'm assuming would be held in Aus) in which case the younger but not quite Opals ready players like Scherf, Clydesdale, Wilson & Wehrung could attend and get exposure. Whitcomb is probably stiff not to get an invite, Garrick isn't playing well this season - she's quite streaky, more so bad than good though so no surprise there. Seekamp is also probably unlucky to miss out on a spot there.

Froling (the College one, Alicia) did her ACL about a month ago unfortunately.

Those European based players wouldn't be eligible for Comm Games surely as their seasons wouldn't finish until mid/late April onwards. I'd tip the final team would be made up of those WNBL players in the squad (barring injury of course) and that the player cut would be one of Cambage, Bishop, Batkovic or George - I can only see them taking 3 of those 4 - otherwise they'll be too slow without a more mobile option on the bench. At this stage I'd probably cut George, though it is Brondello who is calling the shots and I can't see her doing that.

Scherf has a FG% of 33 and FT% of 36 - looks a fair way off Opals at the moment.

Who do you reckon has been left out?

Blicavs(injured)
Bunton(injured)
Whitcomb
Garrick


College?
Smith
Wallace
Froling
Mangakahia

Nice to see Magbegor in there. Would have also liked to have seen Scherf get some exp.


Mangakahia........listen dad give it a rest will you LOL

Pretty good squad

That's a strong looking side all things considered. I'm actually of the opinion that Magbegor hasn't really deserved a call up yet but if she's just there as a tapped talent with potential to star getting experience at a camp then fine with that.

Really, it's amazing to step back and consider how many of these women are playing locally right now. We really are lucky this season.

Guard position looks weak but that an issue on the whole.

They need a good PG more than a PF, so I'd hedge my bet it’s Mitchell

I'm surprised Suzy put her name in for contention, she has been taking off everything but Olympics.

Yeh I like Seekamp a lot. She's bigger in person than I thought too.def one of the better prospects around

I see her as more of a 2 though tbh

So do I, but a 2 with good vision, who is a good passer, unselfish, and has maybe a sub-optimal shot for a scoring-oriented role. So it just made me wonder, because once Leilani Mitchell retires ... yikes ...

I know "combo guard" tends to be better in theory than in reality, but I was thinking that if Seekamp's handle is good enough to handle pressure defence then the other elements of her game already seem good enough for her to run the offence.

At this point in time: I agree.
In the years to come: You're more optimistic than I am, but I hope you're right.

Sandy Brondello was, you know, interviewed on The Ruckus podcast tonight

The Ruckus Podcast - Sandy Brondello Ep 12

What happened to Whitcomb getting citizenship? Has it been ruled out because she spends too much time OS with WNBA now

Sounds like Sami's citizenship is still progressing, as she has now been added to the Opals squad :)
As have Clydesdale & Seekamp.
I've been particularly impressed with Seekamp this season and it's great to see her getting this recognition so quickly.


From BA:

UPDATE: Brondello adds three more for first 2018 Opals camp. Head Coach of the Opals Sandy Brondello has been in Australia for the past week watching WNBL matches. Nicole Seekamp and Aimie Clydesdale (MAC Adelaide Lightning) and Sami Whitcomb (Perth Lynx) have been added to the Opals February camp squad, subject to medical clearance.

Very happy with those inclusions - it certainly does make that decision that much tougher for the final team though. I think I'd take Sami over Kelsey in all honesty - as good as she was at the Asia Cup I think Sami really deserves a run at it especially after the season she's had.

Very tough competition in those guard spots IMO.

From what I've heard from Sandy recently (which is quite a lot), she'll be picking the team on overall balance, which makes sense to me. So it's hard to know which of Sami & Kelsey will make the team. They're both instant starters IMO, so it will depend mostly on which locals at their positions can fill those roles.
They're both pretty unique players really. Kelsey was so impressive in the Asia tournament, and there's no front court player who goes harder than she does. Similarly there's no guard who plays with Sami's energy. Such a tough call.

I probably lean ever so slightly towards Sami because of what a lethal perimeter scorer she is compared with the other guards we've got, but I might be biased after watching her kick everyone's arse for 3 seasons.

Mitchell nor any of the current European based players (Allen, Tolo, Talbot and Mansfield) will be available for the Comm Games as their seasons continue well into April and early May.

Not sure why this camp is in Europe & involving them if they aren't available, though I suspect it's due to a chance to get the World Cup squad together before the WNBA starts as most of those European based players will likely head straight over to the States.

So the Euros are going to camp but just can't play?

Good for Sami getting a long awaited call-up. It's going to be tough but I'd defer to Griffin if she's fully fit since it'd be unfair to drop her from squad after the Asian Cup.

Very much an assumption on my part, yes, based only on Turkish season schedule (regular season finishes on April 14th for Leilani's team I believe)

Wouldn't have a clue where I read/heard it, but Sandy did say in one of her many interviews the European players are unavailable. Not sure about other leagues, but I do know the French league (Allen + Talbot) has playoffs/playdowns which each team participates in and don't finish until early May at the earliest.

Based on stats, I thought Wilson and Mijovic were unlucky not to get invited.

Isn't she strictly a 5 though? That's probably the one position we've got more than enough depth already with Cambage, Tolo & Batkovic all starting-calibre and Magbegor first cab off the rank for a development spot.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/act-sport/canberra-capitals-coach-paul-goriss-names-nat-hurst-as-no1-resigning-target-20180102-h0cde9.html

Nat Hurst is going to Poland on a short term contract - not sure whether it's a rest of season contract, which would very likely rule her out of playing Comm Games.

Agreed, I have a feeling that's why they added Clydesdale, Seekamp and Whitcomb into the Italy camp squad as well.

It's time Courtney Williams quit horsing around and applied for citizenship.

AshT just how many "naturalised" players do you want filling and Aussie team, getting ridiculous now, all the Aussie players putting in the hard yards from juniors to then be replaced by those who just waltz in because they can't get into their own national teams....Williams needs to stay in the USA side

I think Garbin has had a great year. I'd take her over mcgbebor. What’s everyone’s thoughts on that selection.

I thought Olaf coaching of the Opals in that final in Asia Cup was disappointing.

Now that the WNBL season is over, who does everyone think should be in that Comm Games team? I think the guards select themselves, but the forward spots for mine are looking quite hard to pick.

So no Seekamp despite being top 10 in MVP voting.

I'm not sure that makes alot of sense!

Does anyone know if the college kids will be available to play Comm Games? I certainly haven't heard anything to confirm or deny it, but wouldn't they still be required by their colleges?

Looking purely at the WNBL players, I'd go something like this:

Hurst, Clydesdale
Whitcomb, Seekamp, Steph Blicavs
O'Hea, Kunek
Batkovic, Bishop
Cambage, George

Would probably give the final spot to Garbin, though it does look a bit big heavy when looking at the competition it doesn't seem necessary to be that way. Otherwise if it's being kept solely within the named squad I'd give the final spot to Snell.

I'd have the following team:
Hurst, Mansfield
Ebzery, Blicavs, Seekamp
Snell, Kunek
Griffen, Bishop, Magbegor
Cambage, Batkovic

Garbin announced as inclusion for the camp.

Good to see Brondello checking out as many players as she can.

Are we back in the 60's? Use metric ffs.

IMO Garbin will get the gig now that Batkovic is out.

Also according to Boti, Bishop is off to Russia - not sure how long for though. Kunek is playing in France but will supposedly be back well before the games and a while ago Hurst was said to be going to Poland but I haven't seen anything about that since so I'm not too sure whether she ended up going or not.

That's a shame re Bunton, I'd seen on social media she'd had knee surgery a month or two ago. Blicavs I'd never have thought would be able to play SEABL this year, hopefully she'll be right for the start of the WNBL season later this year.

If Garbin can get a camp invite and with Batkovic now gone overseas; Mijovic should be the next big called up to the camp! She's only 23 and had a decent year??

Smith has college commitments as does Wallace. Both should be in World Champs team though!

I would say Garbin's inclusion to the squad and Batkovic's France signing are very closely correlated. Just as the inclusion of Clydesdale, Seekamp and Whitcomb was with Hurst's announcement of going to Poland (although I still have no idea whether she will be back in time)

All the recent inclusions have been right on the money I reckon. (I guess one could say yes - on the money because they were pretty obvious picks - but the last few years have shown that we can't take even obvious things for granted when it comes to the Opals)

In a surprising development, Boti Nagy of botinagy.com supports the inclusion of a player from South Australia into the national squad.

http://botinagy.com/blog/common-wealth-for-games/

Mia is a good player, but it's as if he paid no attention whatsoever the season that just finished. It was not one of her best.
Using the example of one game from 3 seasons ago as part of the argument says everything about the substance of his argument.

By the way, do we have any word yet about which players currently in Europe and US College are going to be available for selection?
Would be nice to know so we can start discussing who we'd like in the final 12.

If for some reason Allen, Talbot, O'Hea, Kunek & Snell aren't enough at the SF spot, I'd be looking at Ally Wilson as next in line.

I thought Murray's season was quite poor in all honesty, her trademark shot wasn't anywhere near the level we were accustomed to. IMO all of the SFs named in this squad were well ahead of her this season. For sure deserved a look in in previous years though.

Hurst's Polish team's article on her arrival alludes to her staying for the remainder of the season - which would rule her out of CG.

This article also suggests Bishop won't be able to play due to her Russian contract, as with Batkovic, which we already knew.
https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/sport/fires-darcee-garbin-eyes-big-time-with-opals-at-comm-games/news-story/8d5d67210560a9371a644676fb434243

I think out of all the Opals who have taken on European contracts, Kunek is the only one with an actual short term one which would get her back before the games.

They would be mad to leave Griffin out, her position does t have much in the way of other choices in that 3/ 4spot, and Clydesdale Lavey Ebzery Seekamp and Cummings have the guard spots covered without Whitcomb.

Hard to say who the next big would be, she could choose to take Smith from college especially after her last Opals outing. Sherf has not really performed this past couple of seasons when in the WNBL but handles SEABL with ease, Grant !? Sorry no way IMO
Mijovic, she is so inconsistent, but think she had an OK season this year, if she's on though she a great asset to have, but running so hot and cold as she does it’s a risk.

I'd go with Mijovic as the role would be a backup position and it's better to have someone who can provide some spark even if it's inconsistent at times!

You're right, anon. ROTY means nothing. She should just give up basketball altogether and become a lollipop lady.

I think a tournament like this would be a great introduction to the Opals program for Ezi.. Plenty of court time should be available with games against England and Mozambique in the pool stage - even Canada should be a comfortable win with the majority of their best squad playing in Europe.

All of those groups look fairly even, the USA look to have landed themselves into the 'easiest' group IMO.

By the looks of Batkovic and Bishop's social media posts, they've remained in France and Russia respectively instead of going to the Italy camp. Seems odd, given the French league definitely has a break during the camp period (not sure about Bishop's Russian league).

Would have been good to get everyone together on the same court, even the players that won't be available for the Comm games.

Agreed, the Opals will need to finish first in the group in order to avoid USA until the medal rounds should they make it that far. Finish second and they'll likely meet in the quarter finals, third and they'll potentially meet in the semis.

Yikes.. Marianna Tolo did her ACL again at the Opals camp and will be out of the World Cup.

Such a shame for her, she was having a great season over in Turkey as well, but hopefully she can come back better yet again.

That or Batkovic chips in some backup center minutes - not too sure how Magbegor's body will hold up just yet against those seasoned bigs that will be at the worlds.

Not ideal that Bunton still isn't right from her knee issues and hasn't played in forever either.

:'(

That sucks for Marianna. (and for the Opals, and Sparks)

Tolo (and all the players in full or rest of season European contracts) weren't going to be available for the comm games anyway.

Yeah that squad looks about right IMO. It'll be interesting to see what they do re the naturalised spot. Griffin didn't attend the camp. but the side looks a bit guard heavy if they go Whitcomb - even more so given the late unavailability of Suzy and Bishop.

Mangakahia time.

Tiana Mangakahia scored 19 points, including the winning 3-pointer with 57 seconds left, and Syracuse upended No. 17 Duke 68-65

(also 11 assists) and only 7 Turnovers