Anonymous
Years ago
I see BA have released the names of 34 girls going to camp for Olympic Qualifiers.
What a monumental list. Why so many.
Doesnt Joyce realise this is just a waist of money and for no other reason to prop up his already big ego.
Its kind of the way its done.
I assume it will be almost 2 squads with some crossover.
I.e. One team of younger players with a few vets for the NZ series then the best few players through to the camps next year.
It looks like a good mix of young players with the chance for some senior players to return if they committ to the program and play well in camp.
There is a lot on the line you dont want to take NZ too lightly
Don't see how Joyce's ego has anything to do with the number of players going to the first camp!
Its a good list, leaving the door wide open for up-and-coming players to come into the squad and keep things extremely competitive. The only way the Opals come close to TeamUSA at Rio is if there is upward pressure from within the squad - girls pushing each other to the next level at training camp.
Very happy to see Clydesdale and Cole included.
PlaymakerMo
Years ago
Isn't an large initial squad list pretty standard?
I'd imagine that many will have commitments at various points during the next year or so, and will only be able to attend a fraction of the camps anyway.
This sort of team;
Jessica Bygate (Dickinson State University)
Shea Crotty (Canterbury Wildcats)
Antonia Edmondson (West Coast Waves)
Kate Fielding (West Coast Waves)
Deena Franklin (North Harbour Breeze)
Samara Gallaher (Oceana Gold Rush)
Krystal Leger-Walker (Waikato Wizards/Junior Tall Ferns)
Natasha Lenden (Waikato Wizards)
Josephine Stockill (Colgate University)
Dru Toleafoa (Junior Tall Ferns)
Jessica Tuki (Waikato Wizards)
Maia Wilson (Waitakere West Lady Rangers/Junior Tall Ferns)
Would compete strongly in the SEABL although just about any player in the 34 person Opals squad would be the best player on the above team.
No griffin?
I can't see it being anything but...
Phillips 1/2
Madgen 1/2
Mitchell, ebzery, cole or Wilson 1/2 (not lavey, clydesdale, hurst, McLeod)
Taylor 2/3
Ohea 2/3 (not kunek, snell, cumming, zavecz)
Allen 3/2
Griffin 3/4 or if no citizenship Talbot 3/2 (not jarry, Blicavs, Newley)
Tolo 5/4
Francis 4/5
Bishop 4 (not burton, hodges, Tomlinson, penaluna)
Cambage 5
Jackson 5/4 (not batkovic, bunton, Richards, scherf)
Anonymous
Years ago
Have to agree with above list looks pretty much how it will be. Plus does nobody read the actual press release, it's stated clearly that this list will be cut to 24 and the announcement will be done this week
"A shortened squad of a maximum of 24 players for the upcoming camp at the Basketball Australia National Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Canberra will be announced this week."
Alicia Froling and Kristy Wallace not included, 2 of the up and coming players.
Any prospects under 20 I think will be aiming for 2019 worlds, 2020 Olympics and beyond. A.froling, Wallace and the like will still be only 23 at that stage. Not sure why scherf would make the camp. Way out of her league at this stage.
It seems that going the NCAAWB route gets you out of the eyes of the selectors or out of the loop a little.
High level players haven't gone that route in many years (Foley perhaps the last.....) so it might take a while for the adjustments to be made.
Anonymous
Years ago
The likes of wallace Froling etc that are current,y in un19 group are better off developing their game in college and waiting their time when they will be prime age for opals that sitting around hoping to pick up scraps from the older more e lenience do players. By the time the 2018 commonwealth and 2020 Olympics comes round this group of 1996/97 born will be prime and developed. Unlike those young ones currently on the list. Sherf way out of her league right now but she will be a huge contender for the future.
Judge Joe Brown
Years ago
I would have Kristy Wallace over Clydesdale and Lavey
How long does a citizenship take to attain?
If Kelsey Griffin could get it, judging by Joyce's comments, he'd have her.
Starting 5.
Pf 5'8 Phillips
Sg 6'1 Taylor
Sf 6'1 Allen
Pf 6'5 tolo
C 6'8 cambage
Straight swaps.
Pg 5'10 Madgen
Sg 6'1 ohea
Sf 6'2 griffin
Pf 6'4 Francis
C 6'5 Jackson (think she's a better centre at this point in her career)
5'10 Ebzery and 6'3 bishop to round out.
Rex
Years ago
Wallace is really struggling with consistency at Baylor at the moment. Plenty of minutes one game then barely sees the court the next on the back of multiple turnovers and bad decisions which probably could be attributed to trying too hard.
She will only get better and her time will come.
Anonymous
Years ago
Rex that's because she still 'developing' people want these kids to be ready made the second they see some talent, the fact is they all need time to develop their game at a senior level, taking 18/19/20/even up to 22 and 23 yr olds to such huge e nets like olympics and worlds is not giving them chance to develop away from this huge arena. The men are the same, yes these kids can play, yes they are athletic, but they all still make mistakes attributed to experience.
ANON
Years ago
Good list but some obvious WTF selections. As discussed Lavey and Burton but also add in Hanna Zavecz and Aimee Clydsdale to that as well.
Zavecz as a starter for Canberra has averaged in the current season 4.1 Points and 3.6 Rebounds at 25.4 FG%. How the hell does that get you are gig (like Burton)
Clydsdale 4.2 points and 1.3 assists at 32.5FG% is nothing short of ordinary and was treated with contempt by Melbourne recently by not even standing her as she was scouted as "No Threat"
Most others you can argue deserve a look at but those mentioned above are hard to comprehend.
paul
Years ago
They will be picking players on what they can add to the national team in a specific role, not what numbers they're putting up in the WNBL.
BJ Anthony's numbers don't look great in the NBL, but he is a very solid contributor in international basketball.
Starting 5
1. Phillips
2. Taylor
3. O'Hea
4. Jackson
5. Cambage
Bench
1. Mitchell
2. Madgen
3. Allen
4. Griffin (Ebzery)
5. Francis
6. Tolo
7. Bishop
That looks like a GREAT team of scorers!
Surely the Spurs winning last years championship has somehow opened peoples eyes to the idea that a good team is not made up of only players who can score??
Mijovic is extremely high maintenance. She is a DIVA. Over-rated baller, not well liked by team mates and agent a knob also. Joyce has said she will never make a national team.
Agreed... Just not a physical player. Maybe that's why she always shoots from distance.
Dunkin' Dan
Years ago
Hope all the Clydesdale bashers were watching today.
One of Dandenong's best today, playing probably her biggest game personally and with a lot of responsibility on her shoulders.
when the likes of Phillips and Mitchell leave the opals, there's going to be quite a lot of competition for those 3 pg spots. (2019 is next major tournament)
Madgen, ebzery, cole, lavey, Clydesdale, Wallace, antoniadou, wehrung, tupaea just to name a few.
There are also others in college are soon to be in doing surprisingly well, panousis, nakkasoglu, Stirton, etc. Mckenzie still with no minutes. Others potentially moulded into pg's like Barr and seekamp. Youngins..Forcadilla, Seaton, tonks, rocci, ortlepp, Yaegar behind them.
How many of that list can play the 1? I think you're confused about the sport.
Maybe your just behind the times...
Madgen, cole and ebzery(low-mid 20s) are pg/sg's
Lavey and Clydesdale are early in there 20s and 1's.
antoniadou, tupaea, wehrung under 20 yo are also pg/sg's.
Wallace plays 1 and 2 at Baylor, panousis plays the 1 at Virginia tech, nakkasoglu plays the 1 and 2 at utah state, Stirton plays the 1 at gonzaga.
Forcadilla is a 2 but can play the 1, Seaton and tonks are a 2 but both potential leaders. Rocci, ortlepp and Yaegar have or still play pg now.
So less than half, even with the spelling and grammatical errors.
Less than half?
Ur tlkn bout spellin n grammur and you carnt even count?
Only a handful of those just mentioned a natural leaders on crt. Wallace tupaea seaton wherung are better 2 Clydesdale antoniadou strong in either spot , will depend on how they develop over next few yes.
lavey vs Clydesdale
Shooting, ball handling, passing, defence, speed, leadership, decision making, etc who wins?
You need to be a registered user to post from this location. Register here.
Advertise on Hoops to a very focused, local and sports-keen audience. Email for rates and options.
An Australian basketball forum covering NBL, WNBL, ABL, Juniors plus NBA, WNBA, NZ, Europe, etc | Forum time is: 5:53 am, Mon 25 Nov 2024 | Posts: 968,026 | Last 7 days: 754
