Aussie basketballers dominate with three wins in hours

by Admin
August 1, 2024

As the Opals prepared to take the court in Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille on Thursday, another Australian basketball team had already faced off against Canada – and lost.

Three hours south-west in Paris’ Place de la Concorde, Australia’s women’s 3×3 team – the Gangurrus – were in fighting form, ready to avenge their 22-14 defeat in their debut Olympic match the game prior.

Evidentally, the Gangurrus quickly found their footing after the fumble, going on to beat Germany 21-19 later that day and then emerging victorious in back-to-back matches against China and the United States on Thursday.

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“It’s two big wins,” Anneli Maley said, per the AOC, after beating both Tokyo 2020 bronze and gold medallists back-to-back.

The Gangurrus (pictured here are Anneli Maley and Marena Whittle) emerged victorious in three straight back-to-back victories. Getty

“We have to make sure we’re never too high or never too low,” she continued, highlighting the importance of consistency when approaching a tournament.

Team Australia won 21-15 over China in the morning, keeping the momentum against Team USA with a 17-15 victory just hours later.

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It was Alex Wilson’s nine of the final 11 points that kicked it in motion, with the massive effort holding off China until the final buzzer.

Wilson also scored eight of the first 10 points, with two four-pointers in rapid succession.

“Ally stood up,” Lauren Mansfield said of her teammate. “She was incredible, shooting the twos and attacking the bucket.”

China’s team is one of the tallest in the women’s 3×3 competiton, which could not be further from the Gangurrus’ reality. The team, after all, does not have a player who stands taller than 1.83m.

“We fought really well against their size, and I think we made up for that by attacking the basket,” Mansfield said.

The Gangurrus – who are now second in the tournament with a 3-1 record – almost didn’t win their match against the USA, with the defending champions under pressure to make up for their two opening match defeats.

With two minutes of play left, Australia was leading by two points, but a layup from Marena Whittle with 37 seconds left on the clock putting the team up 16-14.

“We found a way to win,” Maley said. “We played with so much heart and that’s what will get us over the line if we continue to do that.”

They’ll next face off against Azerbaijan and Spain on Friday.