I have my tickets to the opening 2 x nights and taking all my kids up from Melbourne. I'd stay the entire event but work will not allow it :(

Yeah we can't get up until the weekend because of work and my wife's uni but then we're there the whole week.

For older kids its probably ok, but for a 2 year old, even a 6pm game is late unless you want giant tantrums. 8.30 is just no chance.

Prepare to be disappointed when you see the opals get knocked out in the pool games.

My flight out is during the Gold Medal game so....I don't have high expectations

and the U14 championships at the same time - how awesome for the kids to see some games - a once in a lifetime opportunity this year !

Latest Opals Squad

Basketball Australia Women's World Cup Opals Squad 2022

Rebecca Allen New York Liberty *
Zitina Aokuso Townsville Fire
Sara Blicavs Southside Flyers
Rebecca Cole Southside Flyers
Keely Froling Sydney Uni Flames
Darcee Garbin Perth Lynx
Cayla George Melbourne Boomers
Shyla Heal Sydney Uni Flames
Ezi Magbegor Melbourne Boomers/Seattle Storm*
Tess Madgen Melbourne Boomers
Anneli Maley Bendigo Spirit/ Chicago Sky*
Jade Melbourne UC Capitals/ Seattle Storm*
Lauren Nicholson Townsville Fire
Stephanie Reid Townville Fire
Maddison Rocci Southside Flyers
Alanna Smith Adelaide Lightning/Indiana Fever*
Lauren Scherf Perth Lynx
Stephanie Talbot Adelaide Lightning/Seattle Storm*
Marianna Tolo Basket Landes**
Kristy Wallace Southside Flyers/Atlanta Dream*
Sami Whitcomb Perth Lynx/New York Liberty *

Interestingly if you visit the Sydney Flames website to see the announcement (which highlights Froling and Heal of course) the list is in alphabetical order of surname EXCEPT Maley, who is shuffled to the bottom. Both sites contain the same asterisks and explanations of what those asterisks mean so if Sydney just copied/pasted the BA release, how/why did Maley end up at the bottom? on the Sydney site?

Hey - I'm flying to Sydney from Country Vic for the sole purpose of watching as many games as humanly possible over the 10 days of competition. I think I counted that I have tickets to see 28 games!
I’m nervous for the Opals but am super excited to see USA, Belgium, France, China and Canada play in particular.
Good to see Maley in the mix from today’s announcement. Selections will be interesting.

I'm probably going to go the Opals game on Sunday the 25th and then the day session on Tuesday to see the US play (and crossing my fingers that the TBD team is Brazil). After that if we make the quarters I'll probably go to that Opals game.

#501 probably because Maley didn't want to play under heal.

Playing japan... without changes we are going to get beaten badly by them once again.
Not enough ball handlers in the backcourt.

Lavey should be a pg and not even on the list.

Yeah Slug pretty common knowledge. I was just being a little disingenuous with my "bewilderment". Pretty petty effort though.

TSE are such a garbage ownership group and this is yet another example of their pettiness. Thanks for pointing it out Dog 55.

Games VS Japan should be interesting . Assuming that Whitcomb and Wallace are playing in the WNBA that leaves Heal ,Rocci, Reid and Melbourne as the remaining point guards.

Will also be down Magbegor , Allen and Talbot who are signed to WNBA contracts

Also guessing that Coach and here trusty Assistant will be staying in the States for WNBA.

Series will be not much more than a exhibition.

Whitcomb alone as the ball handler is bad news for Australia.
Against the high press of japan, you really need 3 guards on at all times.


Sandys team likely
Based on favoured so far..

PG Whitcomb-Rocci-Heal
SG Talbot-Madgen
SF Allen-Blicavs
PF Magbegor-Smith-Garbin
C George-Tolo


This team will struggle to make it out of the pool games Imo.


Personally I think heal, Madgen, Blicavs, Garbin aren't suited to international competition.
I’d like to see Lavey, Wallace, Maley in for sure + test Reid, Melbourne, Nicholson, Kunek, Scherf before WC

Those left if wnba players unavailable.

Rocci-Heal-Reid
Madgen-Cole-Melbourne
Blicavs-Nicholson
Garbin-Froling-Maley
George-Scherf-Aokuso

Whoops, no Maley either.

Posting in this thread since it is kinda sorta World Cup prep.

3-game series: Opals vs Japan

Friday 27 May, Quaycentre, 7.30pm
Sunday 29 May, Quaycentre, 3.00pm
Tuesday 31 May, Newcastle Entertainment Centre, 7.30pm

In lieu of an opals thread, there's a few interesting quotes here
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-02/why-liz-cambage-never-felt-the-love-playing-for-australia/101030560

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6xuxkfKRJ0&t=30s

I'm always entertained by the... let's call it evolution, of her accent and turn of phrase

Already complaining about the referees being mean to her and suggesting it threatens the integrity/viability of the league, I see.

Her face seems to be evolving too.

Even before she was drafted she knew that LA was the right place for her

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5K-sXqjqmI

Jenna O'Hea on Offsiders this morning

"She turned to them and said 'go back to your third world country' ... and as a result there was a brawl that erupted, and since then you haven't spoken to her"
"That is all 100% correct"

"Will she ever play for Australia again do you think?"
"No."

Saucy...

"Will she ever play for Australia again do you think?"
"No."

We can only hope that's the case.

I'm amazed O'Hea was ever friends with Liz in the first place. Jenna is all class and clearly an all-round good person; Cambage is a nasty nutter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6xuxkfKRJ0&t=30s

the utter arrogance in attitude and body language, and the ridiculous American accent, she's an absolute joke, we knew she was bad, but this is a whole other level of toxic behaviour.
So so glad she wont ever represent Australia ever again, Jenna Ohea has more class in a discarded clipped finger nail than this ridiculous excuse for an athlete has in her entire body.

@SportAfricaNews

BREAKING!!!

The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has withdrawn all basketball national teams from taking part in any international competitions for the next two years, due to crisis facing the Nigeria Basketball Federation.
#Nigeria
#FIBA

#ThirdWorldProblems

No big deal for aus opals, mali should be the replacements

Still no news on the Russia replacement?

Still no Russia or Nigeria replacement

Chambers is the HC for japan games in 10 days

Available players

Rocci-Heal-Reid
Madgen-Melbourne-Cole
Blicavs-Nicholson
Garbin-Froling
George-Scherf-Aokuso


Hopefully we might see Kunek or Jackson come in
Lavey and Bishop others not on the list.

Puerto Rico were yesterday named, with very little fanfare, as Russia's replacement.

Nigeria still listed as competing atm.

Likely Mali to come in. A nice young squad with a bright future.

Serbia women u17 in, they were better than Russia anyway, didn't make it because hosts were in the same group.