I didn't think she let anyone down at Worlds. Maybe the question should be asked why she doesn't get more minutes in the WNBL?

Her team mate Sara Blicavs would have been a better selection - for that team and the future.
Yes they play different positions, but there were enough guards without Lavey.

No Tess Madgen would have been a much better choice, and a far more deserving one.It will be intersesting to see how Joyce views the good form of both Mcleod and Cole vs Lavey.

You ALWAYS take a 3rd PG (or at least someone who can) to tournaments. This was Lavey in this case - Madgen had shown no form last WNBL season to suggest she could have done it (been much better this year). Niether could Blicavs.
I was just as shocked as everyone when Lavey made it (over Hurst I think it was?), was even more shocked when I thought Lavey went okay with the Opals, and shocked again to see her play so little with Bendigo (esp with Harrower out). Something is out of sync there...

I would take ebzery as 3rd point.

Locks...
Phillips/Mitchell
Taylor/Allen
Ohea/jarry
Jackson/Francis
Cambage/tolo

2 others from
G Madgen, ebzery, cole, Clydesdale, Lavey. Wallace? Barr? Panousis?
G/F Kunek, Talbot, Blicavs.
F/C bishop, burton, Tomlinson.

Yeah I agree, with Phillips and Mitchell there. I think both Taylor and Ohea could bring the ball up on occasion.

Bishop is more of a lock that Jarry IMO.
Hope to see Madgen where she belongs - ie. in the team - by 2016.
I'm picking Talbot to make it too. She just needs to get away from Canberra so she can develop.
Cole a rough chance. Guard depth poor atm.

joyce said bishop is too small for her position in the international game and isn't as mobile as others.

I'd still take her over burton....

Phillips/Mitchell
Taylor/Allen
Ohea/kunek or jarry or Talbot
Jackson/Francis/bishop
Cambage/tolo

He said the other week that he's looking at Clydesdale...

I too think Mitchell won't make the Olympics. guards are getting bigger, taller and stronger. The future international squads Will consist of players similar in size to..
Pg 5'11-6'0 Sg 6'1-6'2 sf 6'2-6-3 pf 6'4-6'6 c 6-6-6'8 or there abouts...
Check out australia basket and alot of teams now have 6ft pg's and 6'8 centres.

It's going to be one or two of madgen, ebzery or cole me thinks along with Phillips.

It's a difficult decision.
But you know Joyce will go for defence over offence. So..

5'8 Phillips/5'10 madgen over 5'10 ebzery (better defence)
6'1 Taylor/6'1 Allen
6'1 Ohea/6'1 jarry/6'2 Talbot over 6'2 kunek (better defence) close call though...
6'5 Jackson/6'4 Francis/6'4 burton over 6'3 bishop (better defence)
6'8 cambage/6'5 tolo

That's the 12...

Close between kunek and Talbot. Flip of the coin really. I think kunek is like 23 and Talbot 20. Both still so young...
Talbot = defence and rebounds, better in front court...
Kunek = offence, better in back court...

I'm confused with Joyce saying bishop is too small and immobile. Even if she is, she is still killing every other player in Australia in her position. Doesn't this make her the best choice then, despite her size?

Basically his saying her points and rebounds count for nothing.
the only thing she supposable lacks is 1 on 1 defence, speed in transition and also height. (Only 6'3)
Burton (long athletic 6'4) is those other things... But she produces little on the stat sheet.
It would seem asthough his after a front court defensive specialist.
Both Jackson and Francis have size, inside and outside game, descent one on one defence and can also play the centre if needed. Bishop is not as versatile.

After saying all that, I would still prefer bishop.

j0yce seems to appreciate aesthetics rather then functionality in some of his selections.

Back to the original topic. I cant understand home chalmers is getting minutes over lavey! Cant make sense of that one

*how*

Lavey was not a bad selection and went as the young pg for the future she tests in all the major speed and agility areas extremely well and had a great junior career but there is no doubt that Cole has now passed her with her return from her knee complete and she is a physical beast so strong and fast which is needed for the international game.
So my team would be

Phillips
Taylor
Allen
Jackson
Cambage

Mitchell
Cole
Ohea
Talbot
Tolo
Burton

Then for me it comes down to
Kunek. ( inconsistent and not sure her slow low shot release does not suit international basketball
Jarry terrible decision maker and too slow laterally which causes her to get into foul trouble
Francis/bishop both too slow to defend the 4 and not big enough to play their preferred 5 position at that level
Blicavs 3/4 tweener not sure if she is too foul prone for this level but has the physical attributes for this level
Hodges was more than serviceable at worlds
Scherf probably too young
Miljovic bit soft
Batcovik is she available might have passed her by

I don't think cole is a great ball handler.... Particularly under pressure.

Madgen or ebzery as 2nd pg.
Ohea or Taylor as 3rd pg 5 or so mins a game.

Other options...

Maybe after the Olympics..
Cole, Lavey, Clydesdale, wehrung, Wallace, antoniadou, tupaea, panousis.

Too old or done at international level.
Hurst, Wilson, McCully, veal, Macleod, graham.

Wehrung is too raw, but look out for her in the future. Love her game. She's got balls. I mean than in the most complimentary way.

I think with Bishop it is how she accumulates her points that Joyce believes won't transfer to the international standard. She relies on her size a lot, but international ball is much bigger and stronger all round. It's the same as WNBL v state league. Some people look like a super star at state league level but can't get the same opportunities at the next level due to skill level etc.

I am confused about Lavey's minutes also. But PGs are hard to come by, so perhaps he sees her as a solid candidate for the future.

Burton does all the simple things, nothing fancy, which is why Joyce loves her.

Your kidding when you say Madgen didn't have a good season last year, correct me if I'm wrong but she did get in the all star 5 for the WNBL. Couldn't have been too bad. She has every right to feel pissed with Joyce for leaving her out. She should just go out now and prove Joyce and his assistants wrong because they made a grave error of judgement. Tess deserves a spot.

5'8 Phillips 1/2 good leader and defensive guard.
6'1 Taylor 1/2 has always been a descent ball handler... Good leader. All rounder.
6'1 Ohea 1/2 has played descent minutes at Dandenong as pg.
6'1 Allen 2/3 bit of both offence and defence. 3 point shooter, shot blocker, steals.
6'1 Jarry or 6'2 kunek 2/3 adds a bit of both offense and defence.
6'2 Talbot 2/3 defensive Sf rebounds, steals. Tough.
6'3 Bishop 4 offensive pf. Efficient.
6'4 Burton 4 defensive pf. Great 1on 1 defender and floor runner.
6'4 Francis 4/5 bit of both offense and defence. Has range. Can play centre.
6'5 Jackson 4/5 bit of both offense and defence. Has range. Can play centre
6'5 tolo 5 centre defensive. Descent mid range shooter. Hard worker.
6'8 Cambage 5 lock centre offensive. Good scorer and rebounder.

Although not always in there traditional positions. My pick ... Makes a really versatile, large, experienced team.

Lacey destroyed the physical testing and then backed it up with an excellent defensive tournament. She now has a place someone else has to perform well in camp to steal.

I would pick Wallace. But she's only 18...
From what I've seen... At nationals and college
Descent 1 on 1 defender like Lavey, better handles, better shooter. Bigger at 5'10' 5'11 compared to 5'7. Has inside and out game. Good rebounder for a guard. Scrappy. Not as speedy as lavey.. better basketball iq. More versatile. Can play 1 or 2.
Definately an opal of the future. 2019 world champs and 2020 Olympics and beyond most likely.

Everyone is so right about Joyce. He wont have anyone telling him what to do and if they try to he is like a little boy and tries to prove people wrong. #514356 you are exactly right, Lavey didnt actually do that much but with the talent around her all she had to do was dribble the ball up, she has quick court speed and get the first pass off.

Mitchell is out of favour with Joyce as well. Phillips will absolutely go but I expect to see Madgen now selected. Joyce said Madgen was a hard selection to drop out last time and she is continuing to dominate in the WNBL you would think she was a walk up start.

As for Clydesdale did anyone see the Boomers v Dandenong game last weekend. Molloy gave Clydesdale zero respect, he didn't even man up on her and Clydesdale just folded. Didn't take wide open shots, turned the ball over, she just froze. Way too many solid PG's in front of her. Namely Madgen, Ezbery & Cole.

Even with Francis, Joyce never wanted her. He only took her cause he had to at the last minute. He made every excuse in the book - skin folds too much, doesn't shoot enough, slow, overweight and she improved so much he couldn't help but take her. She is a beast of a player and you would have her just for her effort.

As for Bishop - its only a matter of time. All class that girl. She is 100% on the next team.

Lavey is great prospect, but is not at opals level just yet.
I also think Joyce is out of favour with Mitchell. Although she has tonnes of experience, her size and defensive capabilities are an issue.
I'm pretty certain the pg's in rio will be Phillips, madgen and ebzery.
I know some may say Rebecca cole over ebzery but with her recent addition to the COE, it makes me think she going there to be moulded into a pg. She a good ball handler, a good shooter, good size at 5'10 and does work extremely hard.

3 of these players will be the pg's of the future:
Wallace, antoniadou, Lavey, wehrung and Clydesdale.

A year and a half to turn a player into an international standard point guard who has never played the position.

2019 world champs is a possibility.