Opals decide their own fate in Olympic thriller with France

by Admin
August 4, 2024

The Australian Opals are through to the Olympic basketball quarter-finals after beating Games hosts France in a thriller on Monday morning (AEST).

The two sides couldn’t be split at half time, but a 25-16 third quarter set up a famous win for the Aussies, who went on to win 79-72.

“Their Olympic campaign was almost over, but the Aussies dig deep to show some fighting spirit and beat the hosts,” Adam Papalia said on commentary for Nine.

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Beating France has shot the Aussies into second in Group B, guaranteeing their spot in the knockout stages.

They finished behind only France themselves in the group, which also included Nigeria, who have qualified, and Canada, who are the surprise failure of the group.

And the clutch Cayla George buckets in the seven-point defeat of France not only steered the Opals from oblivion and into the quarter-finals, but importantly, also away from an early United States meeting.

Australia’s Olympic revival in Lille continued on Sunday with their win over the previously-unbeaten France.

The victory, after a shock first-up loss to Nigeria and defeat of Canada, ensured they progressed to the last eight when competition moves to Paris.

Cayla George and Alanna Smith embrace after the Opals won by enough to seal second in their pool Credit: AAP

But crucially the margin of victory boosted them to second in their pool and away from a potential quarter-final against eight-time defending champions USA when the draw is completed later on Sunday.

The US haven’t lost an Olympic game since 1992, currently riding a 58-game winning streak.

Needing to win by six points to jump Nigeria and finish second in the pool, they had built an 11-point lead in the final quarter but had it cut to one with four minutes to play.

The margin then danced around the magical figure, Sami Whitcomb’s superb drive to the bucket cancelled out by a Marine Johannes triple.

Up four with 33 seconds to play, George rescued a broken offensive play, her off-balance mid-range shot on target.

Johannes’s next three-pointer rimmed out, Steph Talbot hit two foul shots and Australia were up eight and happy to give up a lay-up rather than concede another three-pointer.

George, who had earlier hit a corner three, then sealed it from the line.

Sami Whitcomb, 36 and in her Olympic debut, continued her terrific form with 12 points, seven assists and one turnover.

Steph Talbot had seven points, six rebounds and five assists, Tess Madgen (18 points) and Alanna Smith (12 points) all fired but Lauren Jackson wasn’t used.

An Australian loss would have meant they failed to make the quarter-finals for the first time since 1992, when they didn’t qualify for the Games.

They medalled in five straight Games but have missed the semi-finals in the past two editions.

France won both their first two games by 20 points and had beaten Australia in three of their past four encounters.

“We knew we would get better every day,” captain Madgen said.

“We laid a big egg on that first day but we’re Australians. When the going gets tough we fight.”

– With AAP