BasketBall australia annual report 2008

Basketball Australia Annual Report 2008Basketball Australia Annual Report 2008OpalsAs the reigning 2006 FIBA World Champions, the Opals gained automaticqualification to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.Photo: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty ImagesThe team began its campaign proper in April 2008with a camp in Canberra and two victories overNew Zealand. A team of twelve athletes from thebroader Opals squad was then selected to contestthe ‘Good Luck Beijing’ test event in China, winninga Bronze Medal with victory over Cuba in the final.The Opals then enjoyed three-game sweeps ofChinese Taipei in Terrigal (NSW), and Russia inBrunico (Italy) before the team for the OlympicGames was announced. After getting down and dirtyas part of a team-building exercise at the AustralianDefence Force base at Canungra in Queensland,the Opals swept a two-game series against Brazilin Wollongong and Sydney before contesting theprestigious FIBA Diamond Ball Tournament forwomen in Haining, China. Victories in Haining overthe host nation and Mali and a loss to the UnitedStates earned the team a Silver Medal and OpalsCaptain Lauren Jackson the tournament MVP award.Australia registered its first win at the 2008 OlympicGames with an 83-64 victory over Belarus in theopening game, with Jackson scoring 18 points.An 80-65 victory over Brazil was next, with LauraSummerton top scoring with 18 points, followed bya 90-62 victory over Korea where Penny Taylor andSuzy Batkovic led Australia with 18 points apiece.Australia then overcame European powerhouseRussia, 75-55, with Belinda Snell and Jackson eachscoring 16 points, pushing the Opals into the QuarterFinals unbeaten after five games.The Opals overcame a serious ankle injury to Opalsvice captain Penny Taylor to defeat the CzechRepublic 79-46 in the Quarters behind 16 pointsfrom Lauren Jackson to book a Semi Final clashagainst the host nation, China, which Australia won90-56 with Snell top scoring with 16 points.That win set up perhaps the most highly anticipatedgame in Australian women’s basketball history, aGold Medal match against the United States.The USultimately had the Opals’ measure and controlledthe game for the duration to take the victory by 27points, 92-65. Despite the disappointing loss, it wasnonetheless a remarkable achievement as it was theOpals’ third Olympic Games Silver Medal in a row,dating back to Sydney 2000. Jackson top scored forAustralia against the US with 20 points, lifting hertournament average to a team high 17.3 pointsper game.Opals Head Coach Jan Stirling, who was honouredin the 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honours list withan Australia Medal for her services to women’sbasketball as an elite coach and player and as acontributor to professional development and thecommunity, stepped down following her secondGames. She has since been replaced by CanberraCapitals head coach Carrie Graf.Australia’s women’s basketball team for the 2008Olympic Games in Beijing:Suzy Batkovic - NSWTully Bevilaqua - WARohanee Cox - WAHollie Grima - TASKristi Harrower - VICLauren Jackson – Capt. - NSWErin Phillips - SAEmma Randall - VICJenni Screen - NSWBelinda Snell - VICLaura Summerton - SAPenny Taylor - VICStaff: Jan Stirling (Head Coach), Gary Fox (Asst.Coach), Peter Lonergan (Asst. Coach), AmandaBerntsen (Physio), Donna O’Connor (FitnessCoordinator), Dr. Scott Burne (Doctor), MarianStewart (Manager)Photo: Getty Images6www.basketball.net.auwww.basketball.net.au7