It's time to meet the Australian Opals ahead of the FIBA Women's World Cup, which tips off on Thursday, September 22 live and exclusive on ESPN.
Sami Whitcomb
#32 Point Guard/Shooting Guard
Strengths: perimeter shot, crafty guard, ball handling
What she brings to the Opals - Whitcomb is a prolific shooter - whether it is catch and shoot, off the dribble or driving into the key, she is a strong scoring threat. She can also handle the ball and use her IQ to run the show from the point guard position.
Tess Madgen
#7 Point Guard/Shooting Guard
Strengths: leadership, hustle, strong drive, three-point range
What she brings to the Opals - Madgen's leadership is crucial to the team's success, not just through her voice, but also in the way she conducts herself on court with her hustle and level head. She is a capable shooter from deep but is also strong enough to get inside and finish.
Cayla George
#15 Centre/Forward
Strengths: a stretch big, shot blocker, mid range catch and shoot
What she brings to the Opals - George stretches the floor and forces defence to close her out, thus leaving more space in the key for other players to work with. She has a strong presence inside the key on defence and protects the basket with her length and rebounding ability. Loves the pick and pop option from deep or mid range.
Lauren Jackson
#25 Centre/Forward
Strengths: basketball IQ, scoring threat, inside key presence
What she brings to the Opals - Jackson is the most experienced and successful member of this team and will be able to use this to assist her team in a myriad of ways. From the bench and on court her knowledge is invaluable and we already know what she's capable of playing wise.
Mariana Tolo
#14 Centre/Forward
Strengths: strength under the basket, length
What she brings to the Opals - With plenty of experience, Tolo know how to use her body well to get a seal under the basket and score the ball how she likes. She will roll hard on the pick and roll and is crafty in getting her shot up. Defensively she is another play who can protect the basket with her length.
Kristy Wallace
#3 Point Guard/Shooting Guard
Strengths: athleticism, hustle, speed
What she brings to the Opals - Wallace is another guard option for the Opals, both as a point guard and a shooting guard. She is aggressive in her attacks to the basket. Her speed allows to her accelerate up the floor and her athleticism provides her multiple different scoring options on the move.
Steph Talbot
#6 Point Guard/Shooting Guard
Strengths: length, ball carrying, aggressive on offence
What she brings to the Opals - Steph is a tall guard who can play point guard and shooting guard. Her length proves useful on offence, combined with her speed it means she is not easily defended and can protect the ball under pressure. On defence she can be very disruptive in the lane and uses her athleticism to defend well.
Bec Allen
#9 Shooting Guard
Strengths: steals, perimeter shot, length
What she brings to the Opals - Bec is likely to be Australia's go to perimeter shooter, with her quick release and length to avoid being blocked, she is known to be deadly from long range. On the defensive end she uses her length to grab steals and block shots.
Anneli Maley
#24 Small Forward
Strengths: rebounding machine, hustle, put backs
What she brings to the Opals - If given the chance, Anneli is likely to show up any big on court with her ability to see and hunt the ball on the rebounds. Her constant pressure puts fear in the oppositions mind and her ability to gain second chance points not just for her teammates, but her too, under the ring is not something to be underestimated.
Darcee Garbin
#5 Forward
Strengths: stretch big, length, crafty
What she brings to the Opals - Garbin is another big in this team who stretches the floor with her three point shot, let her get comfortable on the perimeter and she'll make you pay, particularly off the pick and roll! Inside she likes to fade away and use her length to shoot over hands.
Ezi Magbegor
#13 Centre/Forward
Strengths: length, agility, shot blocker
What she brings to the Opals - Magbegor is a lot more agile than most of the people that will match up on her, she can use this running in transition and also by taking her player off the dribble to score. Her length and eye for the ball ensures she gets blocks and rebounds with ease.
Sara Blicavs:
#19 Forward
Strengths - hustle, physicality, athleticism
What she brings to the Opals - Blicavs wants to win the ball and apply heavy pressure on her opponents. She has a strong build but is not slow; she has an athletic leap and can run in transition. She will attack the rebounds and can score from anywhere on court.