Hard to see us winning, hopefully we dont have injuries or get burnt out for the bronze medal match.

Everything ends eventually, even the USA winning streak at the Olympic Games. Saturday might be our lucky day, we'll need everyone at their best, a dash of luck and most of the US side to play below their best to do it, but, somebody will beat them some day, why not the Opals on Saturday?
We dont have a winged keel this time around, but we do have history of breaking the USA's winning streaks.
Come on girls!!

I'm disappointed that this topic doesn't have more comments. I would hope this is the exact moment BA picked Coach Brondello for, she should know the USA team players & style & have devised a plan to defeat them???

If we don't show a clear game plan tomorrow morning then whether we win the bronze medal or not the coach needs to go.

Play 10 matches, Opals maybe win 1. Paris will be 7th Olympic meeting since 1996, plus a few WC games in between. Due for a win statistically... but unlikely.

I recall 2 exhibition wins:
- 2021 pre Tokyo just after Cambage exile 70-67 off the back of Ezi inside & 3pt from Leilani
- pre 2000 games, off the back of Timms crazy hot 3pt shooting

To have any chance of winning
- Ezi & Smith bring WNBA form and hold their own against Aja & Stewie and Thomas
- Opals get hot 3 pt shooting, Sami, George, LJ anyone will do
- Hustle hustle hustle defence, get US out of comfort zone
- goes without saying whole team needs to play well

Historical Opals haven't shot well against USA, only time was 2012 1st half when Cambage dominated then shutdown in 2nd half

Let’s go Opals!

Play 10 matches, Opals maybe win 1.

Agree Luc, I just can't see a way to victory for the Opals unless something freakish happens. The next game is actually the big one imo - a bronze medal would be a great result for this team.

Agree missing Allen, IMO our go to off player and only one capable to get enough volume with accuracy at 3pt to get boilover win.

Harrower underrated, true pg. shortest on court could bomb a 3 and drive to rim against best guards and not get blocked.

Ok, revised expectations. Just play well and maintain confidence to get that bronze.

if everything goes right for Opals - we can challenge - however reality says 20+ win for team USA - but as our water polo team showed - anything is possible on the night.

one thing in our favour is we will know exactly what to expect from team USA and what their players can do

@ +, agreed, just can't see opals win, I’m hoping but 20 plus imo

one thing in our favour is we will know exactly what to expect from team USA and what their players can do

We can win although very unlikely.
We can win bronze but it will be difficult against a high iq Belgium side or a France team with the home crowd behind them.

We have passed the test this Olympics after failing in Tokyo, top 4 in BA eyes is a 'let's continue what we are doing for the next campaign’.
I’m not sure we remain top 5 by 2028 without some big changes. Coaches, players, style of play etc.

This is Sandy's team. What about putting on Atwell, Borlase and Wallace for their shooting. That’s why she picked them.
I’m puzzled why there aren’t more post mentioning this. All 3 combined have only played a total of about 20 minutes.
If you have no confidence in a player why do you take them?

The 9 player rotation has done well after the Nigeria game.

The others in their spot minutes haven't shown anything to indicate a change in the current rotation is needed.

Actually 8 player rotation. LJ has fallen out of the rotation as well.

Because you have to take 12 Hardtop and not everyone who plays professionally in Australia is up to this level. But you have to pick someone! Heck USA has given Tatum 2 DNP's...

Tbf Wallace has been injured for 2 games.
Both Borlase and Atwell have been unproductive, the coaches probably expected more from them -it hasn't turned out that way.

I said prior to the games, I wouldn’t take Madgen, George or Wallace.

Madgen has had one excellent game vs France, the rest a bit of a no show. Would someone else have been better on avg, probably but without that game from Madgen, we wouldn’t be in the finals.
George has been solid throughout, would Garbin have offered more?, unlikely.
Wallace, dunno what’s going on with her but she’s been woeful so far, for last year ...
Borlase who is known for her composure has buckled with almost every possession.
Atwell has been exposed on d several times and her shot making ability has disappeared to this point.

Well said Weedy, Madgen has had one good game in about a year. That's if she can play.
From what I hear from the other players is she doesn’t give much to them as a captain
It’s confounding me why she still in this team without contributing.

Watching the games, it does look like Whitcomb is the captain...

What about putting on Atwell, Borlase and Wallace for their shooting. That's why she picked them.
I’m puzzled why there aren’t more post mentioning this.

Complete opposite, it appears Madgen is well liked & supported within team. No way a bench player is captain for 3 years without some type of people skills.

Though Whitcomb is a good leader too

My pick is Talbot is next captain

Talbot barely speaks, slim chance she will be the captain...
If we don't see anyone over 35 at the 26 WC, it’ll likely be Bec Allen who will be the oldest and the one with the most experience.

Still think Sami has 2 years left in her though despite her age -even it’s off the bench or 5th guard option.

Jackson is done, said so.
Tolo, George and Madgen, probably not gonna make it at 37 but we shall see.
Wallace although much younger, can’t see her remaining in the squad with the talent coming through. Clearly not a pg anymore and her shooting percentages have plummeted.
Atwell, can’t see it unless she becomes a much better defender/ball handler, more like Puoch with 2 more years exp or one of Sandys favourite Blicavs.

rarely'

Jackson is done, said so.

Still with the sloppy t/o's
:/
Awful start

Like a pickup game when we play the u.s...

US locked in from start on both ends dangerous signs

Nice fightback
But as always, you gotta be ahead from the start to have any chance because the longer the game goes, the more USA's amazing depth kills ya

gosh we should be 20 down that was woeful. Jackson comes on and the defence instantly picks up. take 4 points down.

4 points down 1/4 time, I'll take that. It was looking like a blowout was on the cards early on.
Turnovers killing us again

The D from both sides... ewww

20-16 how are we only 4 points down.
Ignore TOs, playing ok

Holding onto the ball way too much.

About to get ugly?

Good effort for the later part of the first quarter. However start of the second quarter, cant pass, cant shoot, cant run an offence - only thing Opals seem to do consistently is turnover the ball or get their shot blocked.

let's not try anything different, a zone. I have been calling to play 3 bigs Jackson (or Tolo), Smith and Ezi at the same time with 2 guards.

We are the masters of the no pass offence.

Looks like u.s playing at normal speed and we stuck on 0.5.
The ball is down the court before we even get over the half.

Madgen the only one knockin down her shots.

-18 in the 10 minutes that Madgen hasnt been on the court.

Three certainties in life - death, taxes, and that the USA Women's team will win.

Poor start, bad TOs, ave shooting, good D
Needed, good start & lights out shooting (only Madgen)

Looks like Talbot injured, Wallace gets big minutes. What else can go wrong

15 minutes of Borlase & Atwell time in the 2nd half please, and plenty of Tolo too

Three certainties in life - death, taxes, and that the USA Women's team will win.

Class above atm...

So many holes in Aus basketball that need to be fixed. PL is a big part of the problem…
We need some Spanish development coaches.

getting smashed on the rebounds - team too small

Jade Melbourne the destroyer - just destroying the wrong team. Plays like an under 14. Never heard of a jump shot, or a change of pace, playing off 2 feet, creating off the dribble to get someone open, super weak left hand.

Let's go Izzy

She's 21...

You keep banging on about Swain being in this team and she's 20

My point is she ain't fully developed.

Of course she's not.
This tournament will be invaluable for her.

But on the other hand this is the olympics, not a development camp.
You constantly bag Sandy out for leaning on experienced players, and this tournament has demonstrated very clearly why doing so is necessary.

I'm not against either.

On bright side:
- Old & slow captain Madgen held her own against taller & athletic Collier
- Tolo going hard against Griner (old foes)
- Izzy made a good basket

Then Wallace keeps shooting for some reason

Unlike men's team, US gals play elite D

Liking these bench minutes

Yeah, this US team can roll out some brilliant defensive lineups

Borlase kudos.

Love it, Izzy. That's a nice positive to come out of this one.
Now drop a couple from outside, Amy

More effort than them in the 4th.

Hope everyone pulls up ok after that one. Talbot especially.

Borlase needs to start

If Talbot is out, maybe she does.

Fingers crossed it doesn't come to that. Losing another starter would really suck.

Izzy did great tonight, but let's be real the game was over and USA had already shut up shop. Very different circumstances to the high pressure that she has had a hard time adjusting to in previous matches.
But hopefully this one gives her some confidence and she's a plus for us on Sunday.

Different games, different team, same result. Opals can't shoot against US despite having best 3pt % in tournament.

Real game awaits Sunday

OT
France v Belgium

France v USA final, both men and women.

Opals will face Belgium for the bronze.
Serbia face Germany for the bronze in the men.

It's interesting reading these threads and seeing the commentary on here. Some are really opposed to the older players, yet the older players are the ones who have got it done for the most part. Overall I think they really missed Allen. She would have helped with their rotations and their defence as well as her shooting and experience.
Confused about the Jackson and Tolo situation and why they've barely been used, especially when Ezi hasn't exactly been lighting it up.

Allen really was a massive late out.
Her, Smith & Ezi are the 3 who have been consistently playing at a high level this year, with all 3 playing major roles as WNBA starters.
To get this far without her, and with a not-fully-healthy Talbot trying to slot in to a similar spot, has been an impressive adjustment by the team.

Ezi hasn't been dominant but has still defended very solidly, so it's no real surprise that we've mostly tried to maximise her time on court. Ezi at 80% of her best is still a very handy player! I don't see it as a slight against Tolo, who has played her role well whenever asked.

LJ barely being used was probably the plan anyway. When you have 12 you don't tend to need the last couple. Would be cool if she could pull out another 2022 cameo though and go out with a bang. Linskens might be someone she can still hang with?

Jackson was getting decent minutes in the pool games, wasn't she? I'm assuming the DNP was match-up based, perhaps with an aspect of "we're so far in front we don't need to burn her out," and she didn't play much against the US because again, why burn her out for no gain?

Yep, Linskens is heady but not a great rim runner.
Ezi should go onto Meeseman, smith will get into foul trouble...
Talbot on vanloo, Whitcomb on Delaere, Melbourne on Ramette.