Lol, what a joke taking players like Juffermans and Shiels who have had no pro experience.
Plenty of other wnbl or overseas players deserve a shot before these teens...

Good to see Reid and swain in, pity no Rocci or Borlase who are on the fringe fighting for Olympic squad.

Interesting to say the least.

IMO it's cheapening the shirt. It must be earned for it to have meaning. Sub-par performance at an u19 World Cup shouldn’t qualify you for selection.

Some strange selctions including Asst Coaches like Garlepp who appears to be the flavor of the month and Tom getting in amongst it as well.

How come Seebohm does the Asia Games and then not selected here.Needs to get her body in better shape and learn how to finish off better inside the paint.

There are better credentialled coaches out there who should be given a go.

Juffermans not the greatest selection either.

Olympics not that far away, I'd be giving major minutes to players fighting for those last few positions in meaningless friendlies

WNBL/Overseas options
Reid
Rocci
Heal
Swain
Goodchild
Garrick
Borlase
Wehrung
Nicholson
Wilson
Atwell
Kunek
Puoch
Maley
Horvat
Sharp
Bibby
Froling
Aokuso
Scherf
Bunton


We know the rest...

Melbourne
Whitcomb
Wallace
Madgen
Talbot
Allen
Blicavs
Garbin
Smith
Magbegor
George
Tolo
Jackson

I don't mind the selections. Meaningless games so why not see how the next generations and youngsters do. The only way you can see if they play at this level is to give them a shot. Notwithstanding the 19’s results I think it is good for the next crop.

I do agree it looks a weird squad. I wonder what the availability of certain players are and which said no. If it's for development then the squad should be bigger.

If youth was focus then why isn't Borlase there?

Or vets likes Bunton and Kunek?

Most Euros based are not going but Heal is?

It'd be good to see Reid at least, after being injured for Asian squad.

Outside of Kinek and Maley, maybe Atwell, there's no one here that should be in contention for Paris, but more hitouts in a national team set up can only help.

I think it is an adequate squad for what it is. No Borlase is curious, but she might have declined for a number of reasons (I noticed she missed the entire NBL1 season). Good luck to them all and hope they enjoy the experience and find it worthwhile.

Zitina Aokuso - 5th C option behind Bunton(4th)
Amy Atwell - 9th SF option behind Horvat/Bibby/Puoch
Alex Bunton - 4th C option behind Scherf(3rd)
Shyla Heal - potential 3rd PG spot with Reid/Rocci as other options
Isla Juffermans - nowhere near opals ready, unranked
Alice Kunek - 3rd/4th SF option behind Talbot/Allen/Blicavs
Anneli Maley - 4th/5th SF option behind Talbot/Allen/Blicavs/Kunek
Nyadiew Pouch - 8th SF option, will move up overtime as players retire
Stephanie Reid - potential 3rd PG spot with Heal/Rocci as other options
Alex Sharp - has not had much opportunity, unranked
Saffron Shiels - nowhere near opals ready, unranked
Shaneice Swain - 3rd/4th SG option



Prior to Olympics, better off seeing...

PG
Reid
Heal
Rocci
SG
Swain
Borlase
SF
Kunek
CF
Horvat
Maley
PF
Froling
PF/C
Garbin
C
Scherf
Bunton

Isn't her name Puoch?

Yes, it is Puoch.

Looks like the games will be streamed oddly via BA youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5yzyyDmW_Q

Lost 70-65 to mix of China A and B squad

1/4 chi 21-12 Aus
1/2 chi 42-31 Aus
3/4 chi 60-45 Aus



Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA1khyyBcoQ


Maley, Heal, Kunek did ok.
Swain easily the best of the newbies..
Other Newbies, not good.
Atwell looks to be another that struggles in international play.

Button needs to retire, so injury prone, had so many opportunities and never has she been beneficial, the young un19s, were abysmal in un19s worlds , why give them opportunities they are not ready for.
It's a nothing tour, BA have to spend money, so they are playing friendly’s, they lost the first game.
Once again it the AIS/CofE cohort that gets called in, BA needs to look at the entire league not just ones whose names they know

Next game 9.30 tonight, once again no stream for Aussies.

Opals win game 2 / 78-71

Aokuso the standout.
Heal and Atwell the next major contributors
Youngins lost at sea.

Good result for us

Is it?, without team A Chinese bigs or sfs, think it's fairly even contest.

Agree with Luuc, not like this is the Opals A/B squad either.

"Once again it the AIS/CofE cohort that gets called in, BA needs to look at the entire league not just ones whose names they know"

AIS can tick off more boxes and say that their graduates have gone on to play for the Opals , have to justify their existence.

More value in sending a Squad of NBL1 Players from across the leagues, would run rings around this squad.

The tour is fulfilling its intended purpose - giving some youngsters and fringe Opals international game experience during a slow point in the international basketball calendar. Don't really understand the incessant complaining about it, but you do you, board posters.

More value in sending a Squad of NBL1 Players from across the leagues, would run rings around this squad.

Agree SP. they need to get exposed to that level of play. Even if it's our C team again there’s.

Why take a bunch of NBL1 veterans when you can take WNBL players and young Australian players.

It's pretty easy to understand, if they are Olympic prep games, why not take all those actually fighting for spots? We are giving several vets(a send off?) and teens who have barely played(preparation for 2028?)

Should we not get a closer look at Garbin who took smiths spot who is killin it in the wnba.
Madgen who is the captain wasting time in the nz wnbl
Rocci, one of the possible backup pgs?
Blicavs? who could be ousted by Kunek.
Horvat, Bibby > Atwell/Sharp/youth wings
Borlase, the u19 best performer and wnbl rising star
Etc

We are assuming they are available and also we have seen them. I'm pretty sure borlase has cemented herself as the top prospect from U19’s both internationally and in the wnbl. Swain is younger and gives her a chance to play with some vets like Steph Reid to learn the game.

Didn’t we get a look at Garbin at the WC and asian cup? Rocci at the Asian cup. Blicavs has had time if and runs a business PT.

I think they have done the right thing (which is unusual for BA). Give the next tier of players a chance to play for Australia and see who they go. Should be more tours like this, even to the US against top colleges.

This appears to me a hastily arranged five game series in a dead spot in the international calendar. I don't understand the reasoning behind selections, but it wouldn’t surprise me if multiple players declined to go for whatever reason. It’s a very reasonable mix of players IMO with an emphasis on youth. It’s not perfect, but for a rando friendly series in between national team comps season and FIBA club competition season, it’s perfectly adequate.

I am glad to see Aokuso playing well. I hope this upcoming WNBL season is her breakout one.

If you didn't know, 4 players are hardly playing at all. The first game is on weibo.

I agree with you Pinch, we have seen enough of Garbin and Rocci. We know what they bring to the squad. I also agree we need more tours like this around the world.

Weedy, what's weibo?

Weibo is a Chinese portal.

weibo.cn

Game 3 - C74-A62

2-1 lead to China.

10-24 1st quarter is hard to come back from

Couldn't find the full game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsBPg3bPT4U

PG Heal - Reid - Shiels
SG Atwell - Swain
SF Kunek - Puoch
PF Maley - Sharp
C Aokuso - Bunton - Juffermans


struggling too much with the pace of the game...

Heal n Swain are sort of the only 2 who can keep up on both ends.

Alot of pressure on Shiels with Reid out, maybe they should of taken more ball handlers...

I am not convinced that Shiels is a point guard at the highest level of the game and we already have so many young promising point guards in the pipeline. She really needs to get better off the ball IMO.

Good series for the younger players getting an indication of what they need to do to improve their games to be competitive at this level.

Yep, they trying to make her into a 6'2 pg, we’ve seen it at Coe, u17, u19 and now senior level.
Her future is 6’2 wing imo.

The same coaches going with the same old lineups, bigger is better.
We are getting cooked in transition.

Sheils is a PG, just doesn't have the consistency just yet. Can’t see anybody Like a Perkins/Lehman taking her PG spot anytime soon. I’ve seen Sheils play some cracking games that’s displays what she can do, just needs to filter out the stinkers or no shows they creep in.

Do you mean in the current gems she should be the starting pg?

I think Shiels is better off developing her outside shot vs refining her point guard skills. A more consistent outside shot will open up her game big time.

Reid improved alot under Seebohm, hopefully it's the same with Shiels.

She will never be able to compete on the defensive side though, that’s why long term she won’t be a pg. cant see her containing 5’6-5’10 speedy guards...

Yes over Perkins/Lehman. In the medium term I see her as a PG after Melbourne for Opals. her length is beneficial on D rather than an issue. More length means you can still contest the 3 ball but give yourself space on the drive. Smaller guards tend to get swollen up in the paint and she can use length to contest passes as well as shots. You don't always have to guard same with same.

Her shooting has actually gotten worse since she has gone to the COE which baffles the mind.

The Newcastle connection hopefully will be beneficial with Shannon.

Her length and height are a bonus but she is so easily beaten off the dribble, that advantage counts for little as you go into seniors. This is not the mens comp where someone like Giddey can post up and finish over small guards.
Think that has been pretty clear in nbl1 east and for the sapphires / gems.
Will be a very good player, but not long term opals pg answer imo.
I don't see Perkins or Lehmann as opals pgs either.

Another loss
73-67 China win.
3-1 China, 1 game to go.

Sharp probably the standout for us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADF3SQmDk9k

Opals lose again 69-64.

4-1 series win for China.

Got to move away from chambers as a coach...
Same players starting, out of position, defense horrible.
Another really giving the youth very little minutes.

Full Games


25 / 8 / 23
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh44kY7qu8Y


30 / 8 / 23
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dha2T7_nCpM


2 / 9 / 23
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zymT_-L7O4k

https://www.australia.basketball/news/4000971/opals-stars-set-to-shine-in-tour-of-china

Another China tour announced for late May. 26th. 3 games.

Coaches
HC CChambers
AC RGarlepp
AC KHarrower

Roster
Reid
Amoore
Rocci
Madgen
Borlase
Nicholson
Kunek
Bibby
Garbin
Aokuso
George
Jackson

Will also play Japan, 2 games. June 20-21.

https://www.fiba.basketball/olympics/women/2024/news/japan-host-opals-in-back-to-back-olympic-preparation-games


Hopefully they are willing to make changes to the roster if necessary.
Like I've said previously, only 2 players were highly effective against China last year and that was swain and heal, both playing great, both not in the squad.
All wnba players N/A, but a few might be if cut.

I'm in Shenyang China currently and will be until August. Can't find the exact dates of the games as I will try to get to one if possible.

Anyone have more details?

You'd be best trying to email BA I reckon. You've at least got dates.

Squad seems fine, stronger than expected given its a friendly tour but it is close to Olympics, assume they're given those Opals more reps.

Will be interesting to see if they bring the same squad to japan a few weeks after or will they find room for those cut from the wnba like Atwell and Shelley or others that have been playing well.

Chiba live on YouTube now, Cooks, Mooney and Chris smith all known to nbl fans from Chiba. Newbill for brex.

Put above in wrong thread, sorry.