Opals

Australia will play Canada for the bronze medal after falling to a desperately tight defeat against China.

The Opals will rue a low shooting percentage from the field and will now face Canada in a bid to secure the bronze medal. Australia immediately called a timeout to muster for one last throw of the dice, but missed their chance to level the scores as China prevailed 61-59 in front of a raucous crowd of over 11,000 at the Sydney Superdome. With the scores level in the dying seconds, a late foul from Sami Whitcomb gave Siyu Wang two shots from the free-throw line to hand China the lead with 3.4 seconds remaining.

Australia will have to play for the bronze medal at the FIBA women's World Cup after suffering a heartbreaking 61-59 loss to China in the semi-finals on ...

Really gutsy win for China considering they’re without their best guard in Li Meng. Really gutsy.” Ezi Magbegor had a chance to tie the game at the death but her shot was off the mark, meaning the Opals fell agonisingly short of the gold medal match. Australia will have to play for the bronze medal at the FIBA women’s World Cup after suffering a heartbreaking 61-59 loss to China in the semi-finals on Friday night. In a seesawing contest, the Opals fought back to take the lead late in the last quarter and had the chance to run out the game. Australia’s Opals suffered a heartbreaking loss to China at the basketball World Cup, falling agonisingly short of the gold medal match.

With the scores level in the final 0.6 seconds of Australia's match against China at the Tokyo Olympics, George was ruled to have fouled Li Yueru under the ring ...

It's going to be a really big challenge for us and I think we're up for it." "We do have more experience but they beat us last year, so it's more about the moment and they play with a lot of confidence." Centre Cayla George says the Opals will do their utmost to ignore "not very nice" memories of their last meeting with China as they compete for a place in the gold medal match at the women's World Cup.

After an opening-round loss against France, Australia have won five straight games and are gathering steam heading into their semi-final clash with China.

"All of it has just been pinch-me moments. Australia went on a 9-0 run to completely blow the game apart as the trio of Blicavs, Tolo and Cayla George went to work. In the biggest game of the tournament so far, Australia rose to the occasion and played beautiful, unrelenting basketball, defending for their lives down one end and moving the ball down the other to create open shots. The Opals were focused on moving the ball and getting it into the hands of Marianna Tolo and Sara Blicavs in the post, and both made their early minutes count as they took what the Belgium defence was giving them and got to the basket. It all started with ball movement and building an inside presence that forced Belgium to guard the bigs in the paint, which then, as the game went on, opened up room for the shooters to do their thing from beyond the arc. Australia have been building and building as this tournament has progressed and — against a Belgium team missing their key piece in Emma Meesseman — the Opals took full advantage and bullied their way into the paint to score at will.

Australia have bowed out of the race for Basketball World Cup gold after losing to China in the final seconds of a pulsating semi-final in Sydney.

Cancel anytime.

China has outlasted Australia to earn a place in the gold medal game at the FIBA Women's World Cup in Sydney in front of a roaring crowd of 11916 fans.

“Tonight, they didn’t play their players that much and obviously we did so that’s going to be another thing that weighs into it. “Our last game against Canada was a really tough game. “Han was just a handful and China’s number 14 didn’t go back into the game. So I’ll just try to uplift them, get them rest and recovery and come out and have a great game Saturday.” She can pop, she can roll, and that’s probably a little tough for Lauren. But she’ll be ready tomorrow and hopefully, we’ll get that bronze medal.”

Cayla George becomes the latest Australian player to step up as the frontcourt exploits Emma Meesseman's absence.

But would Bec Allen suit up for the Opals after two games out with a rib injury, and if she did suit up, how many minutes would she play? In the group stage, teams have some slight room to slip up, even if the Opals did put themselves on the back foot with an opening night defeat. Since an opening night defeat to France, the Opals’ trajectory throughout the FIBA Women’s World Cup group stage had trended ever-upwards as they reeled off four consecutive victories, including a thrilling win over a previously undefeated Canada side that featured a 19-0 run to turn the game in Australia’s favour.

Australian sporting great Lauren Jackson has confirmed the bronze-medal match at the women's basketball World Cup will be...

"The effect of Lauren's involvement as a player has certainly had a profound effect on the culture of the (Australian) team. Jackson hit a three-pointer in all but one of her first seven World Cup games and with the triple she sank in the tournament opener, she became just the third woman to amass 600 points in a World Cup career. Jackson became the face of the tournament and played a significant role in ensuring the World Cup was attended by more than double the number of fans than the last World Cup, which featured four more games than the 2022 edition.

Lauren Jackson has confirmed Saturday's bronze medal game at the FIBA Women's World Cup will be her last for the Opals.

Jackson wasn’t able to play a farewell game after injuries forced her to retire ahead of the Rio Olympics and this has made her comeback even more poignant as she has been able to take in the moments at this World Cup. Earlier in the day, Jackson confirmed it would be her last Opals game with a social media post calling this tournament the most incredible experience of her career. Post game the Opals briefly and awkwardly hoisted Jackson onto their shoulders but the departing legend was more interested in trying to find her two kids and family in the crowd and wave to them. The Opals kept isolating Jackson in the post and the tiring Canadians didn’t have an answer until Opals coach Sandy Brondello gave Jackson a curtain call with two minutes to play. “They are the best group of girls and this is the best journey I have had in the sport.” Age may have wearied Lauren Jackson but her jump shot is forever and she proved this in her farewell Opals game on Saturday, leading the side to a bronze medal at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Sydney.

Lauren Jackson produces one last vintage performance for the Opals to lead Australia to victory over Canada in the bronze medal match at the FIBA Women's ...

But in the third quarter, she came alive in the paint and finished the third quarter with 13 points as Australia stretched out to what was ultimately a game-winning lead. Following a second-half rampage that helped her finish with 30 points — the second-highest tally for any player in a single game this World Cup — Jackson left Australian fans to wonder whether she might reconsider her retirement. Lauren Jackson saved the best game of her Opals comeback for last, starring for Australia as it clinched World Cup bronze with a 95-65 defeat of Canada in Sydney.

Lauren Jackson saved the best game of her Opals comeback for last, starring for Australia as they clinched...

Jackson left the court to a standing ovation in the final three minutes as the greatest basketball career Australia has ever seen officially came to an end. But in the third quarter, she came alive in the paint and finished the third quarter with 13 points as Australia stretched out to what was ultimately a game-winning lead. Following a second-half rampage that helped her finish with 30 points - the second-highest tally for anyone in a single game this World Cup - Jackson left Australian fans to wonder whether she might reconsider her retirement.