Paris Olympics: Opals keep Lauren Jackson fairytale alive after Jade Melbourne, Alanna Smith, star

The Opals have kept Lauren Jackson’s fairytale farewell tour alive with a commanding win over Serbia to book a likely blockbuster semi-final date against Team USA.

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 07: Alanna Smith #11 of Team Australia d during the Women's Quarterfinal match between Team Serbia and Team Australia on day twelve of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 07, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Australia’s resurgent Opals will need to pull off the greatest Olympic boilover in history to beat a Team USA women’s side which is more dominant than their high profile men’s Dream Team.

The American women are riding a 58-game Olympic win streak dating back 28 years – and are shooting for an eighth straight gold medal in Paris.

The USA women average a remarkable 29-point winning margin during their previous seven Olympic campaigns.

But Australia’s stars say they will relish the chance to “topple a dynasty” after being pitched into a likely semi-final clash against a Team USA side that still needs to beat Nigeria in a quarter-final to progress.

An Opals side featuring six WNBA regulars have declared they are not “scared” of the most dominant American basketball team in Olympic history.

Alanna Smith was huge for the Opals, with 22 points against Serbia. Picture: Getty Images

Earlier, the Australians kept Lauren Jackson’s fairytale farewell tour alive with a commanding 85-67 win over Serbia.

Australia’s triumph helped them gain revenge over the Serbians, who beat them by two points at the 2016 Rio Olympics before going on to claim the bronze medal.

Olympic rookie Jade Melbourne responded to a torrid start to the tournament to produce a breakout performance, withstanding a brutal physical assault.

And WNBA star Alanna Smith was a powerhouse with 13 boards and a team-high 22 points.

After setting the quarter-final alight with 18 points, five assists and two steals, Melbourne said there was no fear of the dominant American side as the Opals set a course for a gold medal match.

“It is exciting, we know we can beat any team on any given day,” Melbourne said.

“A lot of familiar faces to those of us who play in the WNBA so we are not scared of them, they are just another bunch of girls who can play basketball. “We are going to go out there and Nigeria is the same, we owe them one. “Wherever we go up against we know the target is to make the gold medal match, so they are just another opponent in the way.”

WNBA regular Smith is also pumped about the challenge ahead for the Opals.

“The US or Nigeria, it will be a really exciting game for us,” Smith said.

“We have a lot of self-belief and on the one hand we get a chance to topple a dynasty and on the other hand we get a chance for revenge. So either way it’s going to be a really cool game to be part of.”

Australia lost its initial Paris match to their other possible semi-final opponent Nigeria so there is powerful motivation either way.

The Opals have only beaten America in a warm-up game prior to the Tokyo Olympics, but they will head into the potential clash on Friday full of confidence after rediscovering the program’s famed fight against Serbia.

Team USA still needs to beat Nigeria in their quarter-final from 5.30am (AEST) on Thursday, but they are the red hot favourites to win given their dominant 28-year stretch as Olympic gold medallists.

Opals coach Sandy Brondello says her charges won’t be daunted by the monumental task of potentially taking on the almighty American side.

Brondello revealed she told the players to dare to dream in an emotional post-game address after the win over Serbia.

Opals veteran Cayla George puts Serbia's Masa Jankovic under plenty of pressure. Picture: AFP

“They (the USA) are humans, they are basketball players and anything can happen at any one time,” Brondello said.

“I just spoke (to the players) about the same thing.

“You’ve got to believe that one any given day you can beat them.

“Anything is possible.

“Most of us play in the WNBA and we face these players day-in and day-out.

“They (the US) are a great team, but we’ve got to go in with the mindset that they have to stop us as well.”

Veteran guard Sami Whitcomb revealed Australia’s veteran players are determined to go out on a high in France before passing the baton to the next generation to continue the program’s rich history of success.

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Whitcomb, who had 15 points against Serbia, is competing in her first and most likely last Olympics alongside fellow campaigners like Jackson, George and Tess Madgen.

The Seattle Storm WNBA guard told News Corp Australia the core group of veteran Opals understand the opportunity they have to medal in Paris before retiring from the international stage.

“I think most people in my age and experience bracket can appreciate that this might be our last shot at that podium, at least at a major tournament,” Whitcomb.

“There is definitely a feeling with that core older group that this is a moment where we do something really special.”

Originally published as Paris Olympics: Opals keep Lauren Jackson fairytale alive after Jade Melbourne, Alanna Smith, star