Sydney Uni Flames star Leilani Mitchell hoping to play at Tokyo Olympics

OPAL Leilani Mitchell’s immediate goal is to win her first ever WNBL crown with the Sydney Uni Flames but she also has a long-term aim.

Opal and Sydney Uni Flames basketballer Leilani Mitchell is making a big impact in the WNBL.

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LEILANI Mitchell’s immediate goal is to win her first ever WNBL crown with the Sydney Uni Flames but the star point guard says her long-term aim involves three more years of rigorous training, dedication and “staying in one piece’’.

As the search begins for a new coach to lead the Opals, Mitchell has revealed she wants to train on until the next Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.

“I’d love to go again but I’m fighting this thing called age,’’ said Mitchell, part of an Opals side which was beaten in the quarter-final stage at the Rio Olympics in a disappointing result for the pre-Games medal contenders.

“I will be 35 by then so it is a matter of staying healthy, staying fit and pacing myself over the next few years.

“But it’s the goal.’’

A high-flying Leilani Mitchell against Adelaide. Pic: Dylan Coker

Mitchell, a regular in the WNBA since 2008 who this week became a free agent for 2017, is having a standout season for the Flames who are chasing Sydney’s first WNBL crown since 2000/01.

She has made five team of the weeks, boasts the sixth best average of any player for scoring with 16.20 points per game, leads assists with an average of 6.17pg and is fifth in the league for steals with 29 this season.

The Flames need Mitchell to produce top form again this week as they take on Canberra on Thursday and Townsville on Saturday in a tough road trip.

Opal and Sydney Uni Flames basketballer Leilani Mitchell wants to play on to the Tokyo Olympics.

But the Opal star was superb for the Flames in their hard-fough victory over Perth Lynx on the weekend.

Mitchell pulled in 17 pouints, five rebounds and 11 assists in the 11-point win which put the Flames second on the league ladder.