In the eyes of Basketball Australia and Australian Opals Basketball fans,

what is the WORST possible outcome; a 20-30 point blowout loss to China in

the Semi-Finals or a 3 point loss to Canada in the Bronze Medal Game?

Ok Aussies, the Opals play Belgium in the quarter-finals, give us a

FINAL score prediction:

And IF the Opals advance to face China in the semi-finals, give us a

FINAL score prediction:

Ok Aussies, post your final four parings.

I predict a Team USA vs. China final and a

Australia vs. Canada Third Place Game.

This isn't a survey site.

Sounds like Cam needs a coffee.....

Why is Australia playing the 3rd placed team from the other pool

Aus (1st, group B) vs Belgium (3rd, Group A)

and Canada (2nd, group B) vs Puerto Rico (4th, Group A)

Shouldn't it be 1 vs 4- eg Aus vs PR, Canada vs Belgium?

https://www.fiba.basketball/womensbasketballworldcup/2022/news/what-are-the-principles-for-the-quarter-finals-draw

I'd rather play a Meeseman less Belgium that a full strength PR I think

It's not a full strength PR team either, they are missing 2 players.

He shouts enough already so I don't think coffee is what he needs, more like a valium or something to calm him down a bit.

Belgium hasn't been at their best throughout the tournament, even with Meesseman. They have some guards who could prove pesky but I think the Opals should be able to cope with them.

Best quarter final should be China vs France. Going on form, China should win comfortably but I wouldn't sleep on the French here. If the French can turn the game into a defensive grind, I think it will be a close one. I assume France will put Gabby Williams on Li Meng and that would be a very entertaining matchup.

They're obviously trying to avoid the kind of shenanigans we saw in the 2014 men's world cup (and plenty of other occasions?) But this feels like a sub par solution to a sub par situation. It could result in some quite inequitable outcomes

The draw is the draw. You couldn't argue that the best 8 of the 12 teams haven't progressed to the quarters and frankly if you are truly a top four team then you'll win the games you have to, wether that means you beat a tougher team than other in the quarters or not.

Opals have landed a potentially 'tougher' QF than they could have had but remember they've been in the arguably 'weaker' group too without both the US and China and got a favour from Serbia last night as well. To medal they'll need to beat two good teams now. I think they'll find Belgium a step up from everyone they've played so far but I'll be cheering them on.

What's is a pass mark for a home WC?

Top four is a pass.

4th a pass but would be very Dissapointing not being on the podium.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_FIBA_World_Championship_for_Women

The last time FIBA's Basketball World Cup for Women was held in the land

down under. Look at the scores, the 1994 version was FAR more competitive.

Your 1994 Team was better than this 2022 version.

Please take ya medication...

Clearly Serbia is hard done by the draw rule. Finishing 3rd they would have normally played China, with at least a chance of winning. Now they are playing the USA, so are virtually out.

JB
Today

Clearly Serbia is hard done by the draw rule. Finishing 3rd they would

have normally played China, with at least a chance of winning. Now they

are playing the USA, so are virtually [that's real knee slapper] out.

--------------------------------------------------

https://www.fiba.basketball/olympics/women/2020/news

They needed Serbia to do them a favor beating France to avoid USA in the

Quarter-Finals and Serbia delivered - only to get USA themselves of course.

Olympic Basketball

Semi-Finals

USA Final Score Serbia
79 - 59

Q1 25- 12 | Q2 16- 11 | Q3 17- 16 | Q4 21- 20

Team USA SHOULD defeat Serbia by a minimum of 30-40.

And the same goes for Canada as well.

Cam,

WHAT is your OBSESSION with SHOUTING every second word of your posts? It is REALLY annoying.

Tired Weevil
Within the hour

Cam,

WHAT is your OBSESSION with SHOUTING every second word of your posts? It is REALLY annoying.

---------------

Give me some examples. Typically, using all CAPS is considered "shouting"

when sending text messages. Please do show me where I have used all caps

for an entire message or even a paragraph?

Why is Australia playing the 3rd placed team from the other pool

Aus (1st, group B) vs Belgium (3rd, Group A)

and Canada (2nd, group B) vs Puerto Rico (4th, Group A)

Shouldn't it be 1 vs 4- eg Aus vs PR, Canada vs Belgium?

Hopefully they change it next WC and more teams.

Weedy, there has been years of talk about the bigger v smaller comps.

Whenever there were blowouts, everyone wanted smaller or just 'the best' teams. But there was always agreement that we needed to help the rest of the world develop by exposing them to tournaments against the better teams.

Personally, I like the idea of at least two tournaments per region which give every country a chance to get experience and to prove themselves, with say 12 games minimum. The best performed over the long term should go to the WC or Olympics. There should be some places allocated to ‘developing nations’.

Of 16 nations
- 1 to the current title holder, expected to be the USA for a long time to come
- 2 to Asia
- 2 to Africa
- 2 to the rest of the Americas
- 7 to Europe
- 2 to winners of play-in tournaments, say {Europe + Africa} and {the Americas + Oceania + Asia}

Hoopie - where does the host nation fit in? I'd take one away from Europe and give that to host nation.

I'd have something like

2Auto africa
3Auto 1 play in asia
3Auto 1 play in americas
6Auto 2 play in europe

1 of the above host takes spot from region
1 of the above WC or olympic holder takes spot from region

Possibly a play in between asia 4th Americas 4th and europes 7th-8th place teams for final 2 spots. You could end up with 8 from europe, 4 from asia or 4 from Americas.

The US will never be beat while teams have to play 5 v 8.

Thanks, Dog - d'oh! (And I agree with you re taking it off Europe)

I like it, Weedy, and I'd add Oceania to the Asia group

I do like the idea of an overall play in tournament for the last 3 or 4 spots instead of locking away all spots to host/holder/regions.

USA 50 Serbia 33 HALF.

US really blew it out towards the end of the second quarter - a very competitive game till then. Anderson getting that questionable block call was a real momentum changer.

Funny to see Gaze slowly get on the Chelsea Gray is amazing bandwagon lol. He had no idea who she was when the tournament started.

Oceania is already apart of asia region. That's why they have Aus, nz and Samoa in it.

USA cool, calm, collected atm. In no rush.

Gaze saying Chelsea Gray's jumpshot is not textbook perfect but it works. I mean, she's like the best shooter on the planet at the moment lol. The mechanics of it are perfectly fine. Love watching it.

Been lights out the whole year,

Shot 34% from 3 this WNBA season, got red hot in the playoffs.

USA 88 Serbia 55 FINAL.

Masterful performance by the Americans at both ends of the court. It'a a shame Serbia went ice cold in the second half offensively too.

Alyssa Thomas is the standout for me for the US. Amazing motor and court vision. Imagine what she could do if she could shoot (lucky for other teams!)

Let's go, France!

What an entertaining first quarter. Both teams are bringing it.

Yes, that was fun. Nice recovery by the French.

Cracking game.

Hopefully both teams can come up with the finishing touches

China 50 France 39 HALF

Chinese offensive execution is certainly something. France needs to make it more physical but I think the Chinese are just too good atm.

Yeah, France really struggling for good looks now against some quality D.
Things flowing a lot more easily at the other end.

Will need some impressive adjustments for Les Bleus to turn this around.

China 85 France 71 FINAL

Entertaining game. China was superb down the stretch and the French ran out of gas. China loves playing in Australia apparently, it's their first major tournament semi since the world championship in Australia in 1994. They'll be playing for the gold medal if they continue in this form though I think Australia could throw them off their game with a bit of luck (will China shoot 54% again in the semi?).

Congratulations to both France and China, great game and really like the way the refs referee it.

Great game. France had their chances to make it close late but couldn't hit some open looks. You have to make them against China because the paint is well guarded!!

Jackson has certainly earned her place, defensively has been excellent.

this is great quality basketball - great to watch

I've never heard the term "o boards" thrown around so frequently in my life.

Gotta be happy with that half of basketball.
I just don't like that Sami had 16 minutes. Too much.

Australia 52 Belgium 37 HALF

Offence looks crisp. Great shooting. Loved seeing Blicavs abuse the mismatches earlier in the game and Tolo dominating in the post. Need to defend the shooters a bit better but that was a very good first half of basketball from the Opals.

Love LJ what a god damn legend

Opals sharp on offence all night.
Loving the fight and energy too.

Great quarter. Not relying on the usual suspects at all. Blicavs, Madgen, LJ, George all chipping in.

Not the usual impact from "Onali" Maley in that stint

Wow, no European teams are left.

Did the tournament organisers in Sydney not get the memo on where FIBA headquarters are located?

I had to.

Haha, nice

Really impressive stuff from the Opals.

Garbin getting so little time in a comfortable win is a bit of an oddity.

Yeah when she wasn't in by halfway through the 3rd I was on board with the injury theory. Strange one.

Most would have picked LJ to be a glorified mascot at the cup but she has contributed a whole lot to this team and it's a thing of beauty. With Belgium dealt with the Opals are looking good for a podium spot. I didn't think they were anywhere close in their first game against France but I am glad to be proven wrong. Will be watching the rest of the tournament with interest.

Outstanding stuff, Opals!

Top 4.
I wasn't sure they had it in them after a pretty insipid previous couple of years. Love the growth of this team.

Most would have picked LJ to be a glorified mascot at the cup but she has contributed a whole lot to this team and it's a thing of beauty.

Australia 86 Belgium 69 FINAL

Yes, we're in the medal round! Best team effort in the tournament - lots of contributions and our leading scorers were not the usual suspects. George and Blicavs had great games and LJ turned back the clock a bit. The only negative thing of note IMO is that we allowed too many easy threes but the rest of our defence was really good.

Should be a great game against China tomorrow. Definite underdogs but I think we can spring an upset if we bring a similar level of game to the first three quarters of today.

Players have got better as tournament went on, Jackson is in the top 3 women basketball players ever, she was never going to let you down, even at 41.
Tough road ahead for a medal still, China will be massive and Canada won't give up bronze with out a fight.

Fantastic win and back to the medal round. Absolutely brilliant result. Anything else from here is gravy. I think we can give China a crack and if not obviously a good chance against Canada. Even a 4th place finish is a good result bit obviously we want more.

Don't they look so much happier as a group both on and off the court. It's almost as if they have shaken off a heavy burden from their shoulders. Surely not all LJ.

it's old school opals spirit

Given how well the team as a whole has performed, is this a lasting lesson (not only for the Opals but for all national teams of all sports) that you cannot afford to pander to an individual regardless of their talent? That 100% commitment to team culture is an utter non-negotiable? I reckon the cracks in that culture were there long before last year and it takes longer than two weeks to fix those issues.

Issues prior to 2018 yet Cambage selected and was by far the best player that led us to silver. Without her we wouldn't have made the final, not even the semis.
If we had her at this WC, we’d be better but every other player would be stepping on eggshells.
Having someone 6’8 vs Han 6’9 and li 6’7 would have come in handy.
The players don’t want her which is fair and she doesn’t want to be apart of it.

If we had her at this WC, we'd be better

She would come in handy, even if it was a jackson type roll, 10 mins a game.
I wouldn't want her because of the chemistry issues but she would be an X factor, especially at this WC since a lot of teams are missing starting post players.

I'd much rather see the TEAM which is playing now than the Cambage plus supporting cast mess we had previously.

Atm you wouldn't have her but hypothetically if 43y.o jackson retires after this WC, 31y.o Cambage apologised to everyone, found passion for ball again. Would you have her as a Center option off the bench in paris?

41y.o, 43 in Paris

I mean we all know what she's capable of in terms of pure basketball ability.
That's what makes the whole thing such a damn shame.

If I bought a ticket for lotto would I win? Probably more chance than an apology.

Not 100% sure but knowing one of the players quite well, the presence of LJ has been huge.
This is just me: I would not think we would see the overall great team effort if Cambage was here.

That is because although she is the GOAT in terms of ability she is not the GOAT of egos.

Imagine how Cambage is feeling right now watching the Opals progress to a semi without her. Loving it.

Aces won the WNBA after getting rid of her and now this.

Never say never, kyrigos is good example of the avg idiot hating on him 1 minute and then kissing his ass the next.

Jackson interview after the game explains a lot, humble, warm, all about team, was even embarrassed by compliments. I'll repeat humble. True champion, the team knows it and it shows in performance.

Cambage and team sports don't seem to be a good mix atm. Sad because she has the talent to be an all time great but it sounds like she and basketball are probably happier apart now. I don't see her returning to basketball.

Fortunately for Liz DJing is an individual sport.

If we lose tomorrow and lose v Canada on Saturday, will be interested to see how social media opinions change. Atm, all positive.
Long time fans of womens ball would consider this campaign already a success.
A 4th place finish at a home WC probably wouldn't be good enough for your casual follower..

Do casual sports followers even have expectations about the Opals' performance? Women's basketball doesn't rate highly on the sports radar in Australia. If the Opals reach the gold medal game, there will definitely be a bandwagon effect but I don't see much of a reaction if we come 4th.

The casual sports fan still has to seek out these games, too.

Were this same success happening in the olympics, on free to air, it would naturally have way more eyes on it and therefore be a much bigger deal.

I missed the first quarter. Did Bec Allen start playing and then sit out after a short time because we didn't need her, or still sore, or a mix of both? What’s the mail on her playing tomorrow?

She didn't look healthy, was crying at games end, not certain she will be back. If it’s rib cartilage injury, they hurt a lot.
Not enough of #5 tonight, her length and athleticism will be needed against China.

Are you just refusing to learn her name?

No I'm just old and forgetful. ::)) I’m good with numbers though