The Opals have advanced to the women’s basketball knockouts and avoided the USA after a dramatic win over France, 

Meanwhile, the Kookaburras crashed out against old foes the Netherlands, while the Aussie Stingers have kept Australian water polo’s hot streak in the pool going.

Here’s everything you need to know about how Australia did in the team sports overnight.

Opals escape elimination after dramatic win over France

Australia catapulted into the quarter-finals of the women’s basketball tournament after a 79-72 win over hosts France.

Clutch buckets from Cayla George helped steer the Opals from oblivion in their third and final group game of the Olympics, sending them into the knockouts and away from an early meeting with the United States.

Australia’s tournament revival continued in Lille on Monday morning (AEST) with a victory over previously-undefeated France, capping off a rollercoaster group stage that started with a shock loss to Nigeria before defeating Canada.

Crucially, the margin of victory boosted them to second in their pool and away from a potential quarter-final clash against eight-time defending champions USA when the draw is completed later today.

The USA hasn’t lost an Olympics game since 1992, currently riding a 58-game winning streak.

Needing to win by six points to jump Nigeria and finish second, the Opals 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 move, her off-balance mid-range shot on target.

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

George, who had earlier hit a corner three, then sealed it from the line. Whitcomb, 36 and in her Olympic debut, continued her terrific form with 12 points, seven assists, and one turnover.

Talbot had seven points, six rebounds and five assists, while 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-final for the first time since 1992, when they didn’t even qualify for the Olympics. They medalled in five straight Games, but have missed the semis in the last two editions.

France won both their first two games by 20 points, and had beaten Australia in three of their last 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.”

Stingers refuse to be stung

Australia are the cardiac kids of the Olympic women’s water polo tournament, winning another penalty shootout to top their pool for the quarter-finals.

The Stingers upset world No.2 Hungary, winning 14-12 after scores were tied 9-9 at full-time.

They are the only team among the men or women in Paris to have two penalty shootouts, after also beating the Netherlands earlier this week in the format.

The win left the Stingers unbeaten in Pool A with four wins and on Tuesday they will meet their fourth-placed team from Pool B in the quarters.

As with the Dutch win, Australia took out goalkeeper Gabi Palm during the shootout and Genevieve Longman took her place.

The move again proved the difference, with Longman drawing a shot from Kamilla Farago that hit the post to put Australia ahead 3-2.

Alice Williams, who starred with four goals, then nailed her shot and Bronte Halligan also found the back of the net for the win.

Scores were tied for much of the game, with Australia going ahead after halftime and taking a two-goal lead in the last quarter.

But Hungary scored the last two goals, including the equaliser with 51 seconds left, to force the shootout.

Hungary are second and regardless of what happens in the Canada-Netherlands game that will end Group A preliminaries, those three teams will join Australia in the quarters.

Australia have a rich history in women’s water polo — they were key drivers in the lobbying that eventually prompted the IOC to give them Olympic status alongside the men.

Australia famously won the first women’s gold medal at Sydney 2000 and also have two bronze medals, but have not reached the podium at the last two Games.

Kookaburras crash out at quarter-final

Australia’s hopes of defending their Tokyo bronze medal have come crashing down after a 2-0 quarter-final loss to the Netherlands.

Two second-half goals were enough for the Dutch to exact some revenge after losing in a shoot-out at the same stage to the Kookaburras at the Olympics three years ago.

Australia entered as offensive powerhouses and Pro League champions among the fancies to end a 20-year drought and claim a second ever gold.

But they were barely able to fire a shot thanks to some merciless Dutch circle defence and little luck.

The loss came after defending champions Belgium were upset by world number eight Spain, who will now play the Dutch for a spot in the final.

“It was a bit stop-start, but you could say that about everyone,” Kookaburras coach Colin Batch said of his team’s up-and-down tournament.

“You’ve just got to be at your best when it counts and the Netherlands played a really good game today.