http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/sa-trio-selected-for-opals-tour-of-japan-as-rio-olympic-games-team-preparations-reach-final-stages/news-story/13d61444cf5eed8ce89834160561964f


Some of the comments I found interesting:

Joyce said 2014 FIBA World Cup starting centre Marianna Tolo, who is recovering from an ACL tear, and 2015 WNBL MVP Abby Bishop, also were not considered for the Japan tour, a further trip to Europe still in the team's preparation.
"Tolo was unavailable due to injury and so was Bish (Bishop) who had some hamstring and DVT issues," Joyce said.
“Abby is now trying to make Seattle’s (WNBA) team so we’ll see how that evolves.”

^ Strange approach IMO given the way he has handled other fringe players with WNBA connections.

About Kelsey Griffin:

"Leilani has been a big part of the Opals’ program for three years, so in Kelsey’s case, we weren’t going to drag her through these camps when we see her more a part of our program post-Olympics," Joyce said.
"Kelsey is a four in the WNBL (power forward) and a three (small forward) internationally and we can see her making that jump."

About Kunek:

Kunek is an under-sized four at the next level and now has time to work on her game ahead of the next World Championship.

^ that one was not in quotes so I'm guessing they were Boti's words rather than Joyce's? Whoever's words they were, I can't agree that Alice is ideally a 4 even in the WNBL, let alone at the next level. Her game is too perimeter-oriented to be a PF IMO, particularly at the next level, where size, strength and rebounding ability is even less likely to see her suited to that spot.

Kelsey is a 4 at WNBL and WNBA level although a 3 at international level....

Why? Because Brendan Joyce said so.

Seems weird that he hasn't said Bishop is cut. Its pretty clear that she is. Wonder if he is being careful after the backlash he experienced last time she was excluded.

Playing the media game, and keeping guys like Boti onside seems to be his main skill in this role.

Opals not the only ones seeing some interesting selections.
Candace Parker got left out of the Team USA 12.

(the difference of course being that unlike us, they have the luxury of making a shock omission like that without any effect on their tournament result)

Official team is named tomorrow, but the unofficial word is

Bird
Whalen
Taurasi
Augustus
Moore
McCoughtry
Catchings
Delle Donne
Stewart
Charles
Fowles
Griner

A ridiculously stacked team with or without Parker (though getting a little long in the tooth in the backcourt)

I just hate that Kelsey was cut so early, I think she should be playing in Rio, her toughness and offensive rebounding could have been so valuable. Surely she has more to offer than Hodges, Burton and Bishop.

It's purely because we can't have both her and Leilani Andy.

3-4 spot is decently safe, we need guard hence Mitchell's choice gets a bit more of a push.

Don't worry, I would have liked to have seen her go to Japan at least and even Europe to try out further myself. But Joyce sees her for the next WC's and Olympics it seems.

Otherwise I agree with you.

If Mansfield's 2015/16 WNBL season had happened a season earlier then this Opals team could have had quite a different look, but the fact that she only took the big leap now combined with the really unfortunately-timed injury at the end of the season was always going to make it big ask for Rio.

Agree with you about Ebzery. She'd be in my 12. Very well rounded player.

I have no idea why Maester Brendan Joyce is commentating on Team USA selection matters.

Sounds like if we play them we could be going up against a fired up Elena Delle Donne which is not ideal.

I assume that Joyce is commenting because he was asked about it. It has been a pretty hot topic in the women's basketball sphere. I don't feel like what he said was inappropriate.
If anyone is fired up over it all I think it will be Candace Parker in the upcoming WNBA season.
Lowering the rims seems to be what floats Elena's boat lately and it seems to be her & Geno vs the rest of the world on that one.


USA officially named their 12 and it is as per the list above.
http://www.wnba.com/news/experienced-12-member-u-s-olympic-womens-basketball-team-announced/

One matchup headache is left out of their team, making way for a different matchup headache to take her place.

This is the real reason

"Others close to Parker have downplayed the brand loyalty in play, calling it "only a small factor," and feel Coach Auriemma simply wanted to select rookie Brianna Stewart in Parker's place. Stewart is the WNBA’s latest top overall pick, and fresh off of starring for Auriemma at UCONN, where she led his most recent Huskies dynasty to four straight titles."

Seems it's the same all over the world, coaches play favourites even if it's potentially to the detriment of the team.
Joyce has Burton and Lavey

Their is no substitute for the experience a player like Parker brings, but coaches who are blinded by their adoration of individual players or their dislike of another for personal reasons don't care about that.

Embarrassing lack of coverage of the Japan-Opals series so far from Basketball Australia :/

... but for anyone interested in our 80-41 win, it looks like:

*Mitchell 5p, 3r, 4a, 2s in 23:34
*Jarry 5p, 4r, 3a in 17:55
*Talbot 8p, 8r, 3a in 28:36
*Burton 6p, 3r, 3a in 26:44
*Cambage 17p, 7r, 2a in 19:39

Lavey 5p, 4r, 3a in 17:36
Allen 4p, 5r, 2s in 14:15
Batkovic 9p, 6r in 12:56
Ebzery 13p, 2r in 23:16
George 8p, 5r in 15:29

Madgen, Blicavs DNP.

Seems like a bit of a waste of time having Mitchell, Allen, George, etc playing in games like this against SEABL level competition instead of playing in the wnba against the best in the world.