The Australian women’s basketball team ended the Mitsui Fudosan Cup 2024 with a 95-87 loss to hosts Japan at the Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center in Sapporo on Friday.

This was Australia’s second and final match of the Japan tour. The Opals lost the tour’s first match on Thursday with a scoreline of 96-85.

Maddison Rocci, Stephanie Reid, Marianna Tolo, Cayla George and Isobel Borlase started for the Opals against Japan on Friday.

World No. 9 Japan, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics silver medallists, established an early lead, finishing the first quarter ahead 27-19. Despite Tolo’s 10-point effort in the second quarter, Japan maintained control, leading 50-43 at halftime.

The Opals, ranked third, matched Japan’s performance in the final two quarters but the initial deficit proved decisive.

Tolo finished as the top-scorer for the Opals with 20 points, which included seven rebounds. George netted 13 points while Isobel Borlase scored 10 and also played a part with five assists.

Tolo, who scored 11 points in the opening game, was awarded the Most Impressive Player for the series.

The next assignment for the Opals will be a two-match series against the People’s Republic of China in Melbourne from July 3 to 5.

Australia will also play away games in Spain before the Paris 2024 Olympics begins on July 26.

Australia will play Nigeria in their first game of the Paris Olympics on July 29 at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille. The Australian women’s basketball team has been drawn in Group B at the Olympics, alongside Canada, hosts France and Nigeria.