Don't think Seekamp, Garbin or Bishop will be in the team beyond Asia cup.
No Cambage, Tolo and the last guard spot is wide open for Tokyo. With Cole and Garrick focusing on 3x3 it seems, you’d think the coaching staff is hopeing Wallace has a solid half season in the wnbl. I can’t think of anyone else, except maybe a much improved Lavey.

"time for a she-brawl"
Perthworld posting more dumb shit in a worthless attempt at humour.

Cole and Garrick are only focusing on 3x3 because they weren't picked for the Opals. Garrick was not selected in the Opals squad at all this year, and Cole was selected initially but cut after the first camp (the only person cut after the first camp, in fact). One can only assume that Sandy and the Opals staff don't like Cole and Garrick's skill set, and prefer Lavey, Madgen, Wilson, Tupea etc. over them.

I don't think that’s the case. She’s taken none of those listed and cut them early.

Well, all those guards listed made it way further down the Opals path than Cole and Garrick.
Lavey, Madgen, Tupea etc. were invited to the Asia Cup selection camp in Phoenix. Cole and Garrick were not invited to this selection camp, so I can only assume Sandy did not consider them viable options for the Asia Cup.

No real replacement for Cole or Garrick in 3x3. if there was, I think we'd see one of them in the opals.

I don't think BA care much about 3x3, or they would have sent the Aussie team to more of the recent tournaments to get points. We have attended 2 when other teams have gone to 8 or more. At the moment the Aussie team is not even certain to make the olympic qualifying tournament given their poor world ranking (solely due to not playing in enough points-earning tournaments). Also, the 3x3 team don't even have a name (i.e. Opals, Gems), nor do they have a dedicated page on the BA website.

Besides, there are no 3x3 events that clash with the Asia Cup, so there is no reason Cole and/or Garrick could not have been selected to give them some Opals experience.

If the 3x3 team don't make the Olympics (a good bet given their small odds of making the qualifying tournie then actually winning a spot), then surely it will be too late to for Garrick and Cole to have a shot at making the Opals. They won't have been to any camps, played in any games with the other players, know any of the plays, nor had much exposure with the coaches. These 2 would be way behind any other guards.

lol, a 3x3 tournament is happening right now...

https://australia.basketball/blog/2019/09/21/fiba-3x3-wws-australia-split-first-two-games-in-tokyo/

Yeah, only the 2nd one the Aussies have played in. There have been like 15 tournaments over the past few months that all the Euro and US teams have played in and earned points, but BA didn't find it necessary to send a team to. Meanwhile the Aussies have slipped further and further down the rankings, and a quick check tells me we are currently 26th in the world. At this current ranking we may be too lowly ranked to even make the 20-team olympic qualifying tournie.

Besides, if it is true that Garrick and Cole have been excluded from the Opals because of 3x3 that's pretty messed up to do it and not give them a choice. I suspect both Cole and Garrick would eagerly pick Opals over 3x3.

Well 3x3 sucks, so I understand BA's possible apathy.

Sure, I agree BA seem apathetic to 3x3. Most people don't even know it exists so I can understand why BA don't want to spend money on it, and why they perhaps aren't too concerned with ensuring the Aussie teams make the olympics.

So given this seeming BA 3x3 apathy, I don't really buy into the theory that Cole and Garrick are not even in the conversation for Opals contention because BA are insisting they play 3x3. It just seems like Sandy and the rest of the coaches don't rate Cole and Garrick and have put a line through their names. Which, hey, they are the coaches and can pick who they want so fair play to them. And the Opals are coming off a silver medal at worlds so Sandy has a good track record. If the Opals win the Asia Cup then maybe it proves that Cole and Garrick aren't needed, and there will be no reason to consider them for the olympics anyway.

Sandy always takes 3 pgs. Both Garrick and Cole are sgs,

Mitchell is the starter, Ebzery now becomes the backup and Seekamp is the limited minUte 3rd option.
Talbot and Allen have solidified there position at 2 and 3 from the WC.
Nicholson has earnt her spot as a sg or forward with consistancy on both ends of the floor over the last year and ohea is the vet g/f.

Both ohea and Mitchell are adios after Tokyo so we are likely to see Whitcomb come back in, Ebzery goes back to number 1 pg and so once again theres not really any room for a sg, only a new pg.

Ebzery has been super solid, don't think you can question her spot. without her we would not win a silver last year at the WC. an injury to Mitchell put Ebzery as the starter and Mansfield should have never had a shot, falling to injury just before the tournament. Madgen couldn’t even bring the ball:over half way comfortably. Lavey only played limited minutes but look way better than Madgen.
Ebzery played huge minutes and did a great job coming from the 2 spot.

So is Asia Cup expected to be a two horse race between the Opals and Japan, or does anyone else have a shot too?

Nz has a slim shot.

Cocks/Leger-Walker
Farnworth/Karatiana/Fotu
Beck/Taylor/Paalvast
Purcell/Boagni
Davidson/West

They beat Japan last month.


Japan have tokashiki back but have lost Fujioka and regained veteran yoshida.

Machida'

Seekamp not good enough for this level. Her ball handling is suspect, on par bwith Madgen last year and she can't playbdefense or shoot.
bishop also seems a little flat footed.

No chance for Tokyo.
Cambage, Tolo, Smith, Griffin, Whitcomb, Wallace all N/A

"Can't believe Bishop or Seekamp made the cut, both are out of their depth"

Oh dear.

2018
Ebzery / Madgen / Lavey
Talbot / Whitcomb
Allen / Ohea
George / Smith / Magbegor
Cambage / Bunton

2019
Mitchell / Seekamp
Ebzery / Nicholson
Ohea / Talbot
Allen / Blicavs / Garbin
George / Magbegor / Bishop

2020
Mitchell / Ebzery / Wallace
Ohea / Nicholson
Allen / Talbot / Blicavs
George / Magbegor
Cambage / Tolo

I like your 2020 squad, one exception, Smith in, Blicavs out

Think it will be close as Blicavs is much more versatile.
Will be interesting to see if Mitchell's form translates to internationals. No doubt bothnwhitcomb and Griffin will want in.