| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
awhom111
Joined: 19 Nov 2014
Posts: 4225
Back to top |
 Posted: 06/23/22 11:29 pm ::: |
Reply  |
|
| Luuuc wrote: |
| threadkiller1201 wrote: |
| so with LJ coming back, who's the starting point guard for the Opals now? |
PG is a problem for the Opals these days.
Whitcomb will likely start in that role.
Wallace will probably spend some time there too, and after that we're still waiting to find out which "actual" PG ends up being selected once the camps are lead-up games are done.
Maddison Rocci seems to be the favourite right now. Shyla Heal and Jade Melbourne are good chances of making the team as well, but aren't really PGs either. SGs masquerading as PGs often isn't a big deal, but in recent games against Japan it was a real problem any time they decided to pressure us. Turnover city.
If it looks like LJ is going to make it then maybe we should also defrost Kristi Harrower or Tully Bevilaqua. |
The whole Erin Phillips playing both sports again thing has not seemed to amount to anything. |
|
Luuuc
#NATC
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 21927
Back to top |
| Posted: 06/24/22 12:04 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| awhom111 wrote: |
| Luuuc wrote: |
| threadkiller1201 wrote: |
| so with LJ coming back, who's the starting point guard for the Opals now? |
PG is a problem for the Opals these days.
Whitcomb will likely start in that role.
Wallace will probably spend some time there too, and after that we're still waiting to find out which "actual" PG ends up being selected once the camps are lead-up games are done.
Maddison Rocci seems to be the favourite right now. Shyla Heal and Jade Melbourne are good chances of making the team as well, but aren't really PGs either. SGs masquerading as PGs often isn't a big deal, but in recent games against Japan it was a real problem any time they decided to pressure us. Turnover city.
If it looks like LJ is going to make it then maybe we should also defrost Kristi Harrower or Tully Bevilaqua. |
The whole Erin Phillips playing both sports again thing has not seemed to amount to anything. |
Once she got to play footy I was not expecting her to touch a basketball again.
Speaking of dual sport athletes though ... Tessa Lavey is someone I probably shouldn't have omitted from the Opals list. Despite seeming more committed to AFLW lately I think she's still as good a pure point guard as we have right now. Not sure what her intentions are re. trying to make the World Cup.
_________________
Thanks for calling. I wait all night for calls like these.
|
|
Michelle89
Joined: 17 Nov 2010
Posts: 16464
Location: Holland
Back to top |
| Posted: 06/24/22 8:20 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| Sami as your starting PG might not be a bad thing though. It allows you to play with Bec Allen and Talbot at the SG and SF positions. Nice perimeter shooting and defensive versatility..
_________________
"Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson were and are the dynamic duo. They're the one-two punch. They're all the clich�s possible to describe people that perfectly complement each other, who make each other better and also bring out the best in the team." �Karen Bryant
|
|
Luuuc
#NATC
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 21927
Back to top |
|
Luuuc
#NATC
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 21927
Back to top |
| Posted: 07/09/22 1:25 am ::: |
Reply |
|
Opals squad trimmed down to 15 ahead of their trip to NY to play against Canada
Bec ALLEN
Sara BLICAVS
Darcee GARBIN
Cayla GEORGE
Lauren JACKSON
Tess MADGEN
Ezi MAGBEGOR
Anneli MALEY
Jade MELBOURNE
Maddy ROCCI
Alanna SMITH
Steph TALBOT
Marianna TOLO
Kristy WALLACE *Unavailable to play in the NY practice matches
Sami WHITCOMB
https://australia.basketball/opals-squad-head-to-new-york-for-practice-matches/
_________________
Thanks for calling. I wait all night for calls like these.
|
|
pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
Posts: 66900
Location: Where the action is
Back to top |
| Posted: 07/09/22 7:44 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| StevenHW wrote: |
| Yeah! I know the USA has hosted the FIBA Men's tournament just once before (Indianapolis in 2002), but never the women's tournament. |
Considering how that tournament turned out for the US it is understandable that we're not that keen to host again
_________________
I'm a lonely frog
I ain't got a home
|
|
awhom111
Joined: 19 Nov 2014
Posts: 4225
Back to top |
| Posted: 07/09/22 11:17 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| An interesting new story as FIBA is apparently going to allow Mya Hollingshead to play for Puerto Rico despite not meeting the traditional requirements for someone to play for their team. |
|
Luuuc
#NATC
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 21927
Back to top |
|
Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 24349
Location: London
Back to top |
| Posted: 08/10/22 8:41 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| Luuuc wrote: |
| A ridiculously front-court-heavy 12. |
I hadn't really realised, but it really is, isn't it? Whitcomb, Wallace and I guess Madgen as the ballhandlers and then lots and lots of wings and bigs. Talbot or Allen playing some 2 and go super-switchy on D, maybe? Or a bunch of zone. This squad definitely has the potential to be pesky and annoying, and they're on the extensive list of possibilities for silver, but an extra ballhandler/creator definitely would've been useful. |
|
PRballer
Joined: 18 Apr 2007
Posts: 2544
Back to top |
| Posted: 08/10/22 10:18 am ::: |
Reply |
|
My first thought upon seeing this roster was “so who is the PG?”
Whatever happened to Shyla Heal? Did she just not develop as expected. The Opals have always been most successful with a spunky PG.
|
|
threadkiller1201
Joined: 19 Sep 2005
Posts: 423
Back to top |
| Posted: 08/10/22 12:16 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| Woo hoo LJ!!!
|
|
Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 24349
Location: London
Back to top |
| Posted: 08/10/22 12:30 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| PRballer wrote: |
| Whatever happened to Shyla Heal? Did she just not develop as expected. The Opals have always been most successful with a spunky PG. |
She was in their original larger squad, but didn't make the final 12. She's still only 20 to be fair, so plenty of time to develop and be part of future teams. |
|
Luuuc
#NATC
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 21927
Back to top |
| Posted: 08/10/22 6:43 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| Richyyy wrote: |
| PRballer wrote: |
| Whatever happened to Shyla Heal? Did she just not develop as expected. The Opals have always been most successful with a spunky PG. |
She was in their original larger squad, but didn't make the final 12. She's still only 20 to be fair, so plenty of time to develop and be part of future teams. |
In FIBA games this year we've given Heal, Rocci, Melbourne & Reid opportunities in the backcourt and none have impressed. I really thought we'd pick one of them anyway just because we need to have *someone* as a backup guard, but nope, I guess not.
Heal's best basketball is when she plays the 2. PG hasn't gone as well for her so far (Sky fans would understand why) so I get why she wasn't selected.
_________________
Thanks for calling. I wait all night for calls like these.
|
|
tfan
Joined: 31 May 2010
Posts: 9606
Back to top |
| Posted: 08/10/22 7:37 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| Heal is quite short, as is her wingspan.
|
|
Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 24349
Location: London
Back to top |
| Posted: 08/10/22 8:10 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| Luuuc wrote: |
| Richyyy wrote: |
| PRballer wrote: |
| Whatever happened to Shyla Heal? Did she just not develop as expected. The Opals have always been most successful with a spunky PG. |
She was in their original larger squad, but didn't make the final 12. She's still only 20 to be fair, so plenty of time to develop and be part of future teams. |
In FIBA games this year we've given Heal, Rocci, Melbourne & Reid opportunities in the backcourt and none have impressed. I really thought we'd pick one of them anyway just because we need to have *someone* as a backup guard, but nope, I guess not.
Heal's best basketball is when she plays the 2. PG hasn't gone as well for her so far (Sky fans would understand why) so I get why she wasn't selected. |
And while it's not quite how she treated Alanna Smith, Brondello has once again pushed a key Opal back and back in her rotation with her club team. Now she's going to ask Whitcomb to run the team for the Opals after increasingly sidelining her in New York. Obviously different situations and different squads, and I'm sure Whitcomb understands that, but it must make for an awkward conversation or two. |
|
Luuuc
#NATC
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 21927
Back to top |
| Posted: 09/08/22 12:46 am ::: |
Reply |
|
Australian Opals captain was announced today.
| Quote: |
Olympian and Opals’ leadership group member, Tess Madgen has been named captain of the Australian team for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup this month.
Announced to the team today at the final training camp on the Gold Coast, the 32-year-old long-time Opal was overwhelmed with emotion when receiving the news from Coach Sandy Brondello and fought back tears as she spoke to the group. |
https://australia.basketball/opals-name-captain-for-fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup/
_________________
Thanks for calling. I wait all night for calls like these.
|
|
myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008
Posts: 32335
Back to top |
|
myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008
Posts: 32335
Back to top |
| Posted: 09/08/22 4:39 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| has fluffy bunny retired?
|
|
awhom111
Joined: 19 Nov 2014
Posts: 4225
Back to top |
| Posted: 09/08/22 11:55 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
Playoff results did not help in terms of number of players becoming available for the United States. Great news for Belgium and Australia though. Bosnia is really sweating it out now.
| myrtle wrote: |
| has fluffy bunny retired? |
She had a baby earlier this year. I don't think she's made a public decision on whether she will play again, though it would be fun if she was a player-coach and put herself in the lineup along with her longtime partner and her partner's sister. The rules being what they are, even the Whitcomb of this season would still beat out what she showed when she last played. |
|
Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 24349
Location: London
Back to top |
| Posted: 09/09/22 11:22 am ::: |
Reply |
|
| Is there anyone obvious who would be the next naturalised player up for Australia? Because Whitcomb's still useful but might not be far off aging out herself. |
|
awhom111
Joined: 19 Nov 2014
Posts: 4225
Back to top |
| Posted: 09/09/22 11:49 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| Richyyy wrote: |
| Is there anyone obvious who would be the next naturalised player up for Australia? Because Whitcomb's still useful but might not be far off aging out herself. |
For Luuuc's sake, I hope that the answer is Bryce Cotton.
Australia does not traditionally snap-naturalize people, absent another Mitchell/Thybulle situation, it would be hard to see how a player would gain citizenship at a reasonably young age and be a clear upgrade. The players who are younger than Whitcomb who would figure to be somewhere in the full citizenship process are Mikaela Ruef, Ali Schwagmeyer, and Emilee Harmon. Players that are clearly naturalization level just are not likely to stick around unless they really love their time in Australia and spending more months out of the country certainly does not help speed up the process. |
|
Luuuc
#NATC
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 21927
Back to top |
|
Queenie
Joined: 18 Nov 2004
Posts: 18029
Location: Queens
Back to top |
|
WfanFrJmp
Joined: 24 May 2016
Posts: 1423
Back to top |
| Posted: 09/18/22 6:02 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| Do y'all know if ESPN+ the only way to watch the world cup?!!
|
|
awhom111
Joined: 19 Nov 2014
Posts: 4225
Back to top |
| Posted: 09/18/22 11:16 pm ::: |
Reply |
|
| WfanFrJmp wrote: |
| Do y'all know if ESPN+ the only way to watch the world cup?!! |
It's not supposed to be, but the only game I see listed for TV so far is USA vs. South Korea at 11:59pm ET Sunday.
|
|
|
|
)
