Townsville basketball star Alex Fowler opens up on ‘very special’ Australian Opals debut
Three of the Townsville Fire’s brightest stars made their Opals debut this week in an 88-70 triumph over New Zealand. Find out more about the “unusual” chain of events that led to the moment.
Basketball
Don't miss out on the headlines from Basketball. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Three of the Townsville Fire’s brightest stars made their Australian Opals debut on Wednesday night in an 88-70 triumph over New Zealand in game one of the Trans-Tasman Throwdown.
Fire captain Courtney Woods, WNBL Rookie of the Year Abbey Ellis and Townsville junior Alex Fowler all stepped onto the court as Australia cruised to victory on the back of excellent shooting from the team’s fourth debutant of the night, Queenslander Miela Sowah.
But the experience would not have come about for Fowler without a hasty midnight flight across the Nullarbor to join camp after being called in as a late injury replacement.
“I had an unusual entrance into the camp. I wasn’t a part of the squad and then due to injuries I got called up after day one or two,” Fowler said.
“Then I caught a red-eye flight from Perth and joined the second end of camp.
“There were a lot of nerves, I think it didn’t really hit me that I’m a part of the Opals squad until I was on the court and playing.
“I’ve been around it for these last few days, I’ve been with the girls and stuff, and I’ve just been built up with all these nerves and excitement, but it wasn’t until I fully stepped on court, that I was like, ‘wow, I’m actually really in this now’.”
Fowler has enjoyed a mercurial rise to the top since completing a gilded US college career with the Portland Pilots, earning the WNBL Rookie of the Year award for an outstanding 2023/24 season with the UC Capitals before signing with the Fire.
The 188cm forward picked up where she left off in Townsville, cleaning up at the club’s awards night this year after a spectacular season to earn the Players’ Player, Commitment to Excellence and Army Awards.
Fowler said it was even more meaningful to make her national debut alongside two Fire teammates.
“It was very special, it’s cool that we all got to experience our debut together,” Fowler said.
“Courtney (Woods) was great. She did insane, she absolutely killed it for her debut.
“Defensively, offensively, she was all up on the boards stat-wise and she did really well.”
Woods finished with 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in a stellar 26-minute showing, while defensive juggernaut Fowler finished the match with a game-high +22 points differential while on court, scoring 12 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Ellis played a short two-minute cameo, stamping her name onto the box score with a nice basket to finish on two points.
Fowler said the Opals were braced for another tough and physical encounter when they face the Tall Ferns again on Friday night.
“It was such a physical game and they shot the lights out, so credit to them for that,” she said.
“Now that we’ve both seen the style of how we play, I think they’re definitely going to come out even more aggressive than they were the last game.
“We’ll just have to try adjust and find some other ways to score. I think we need to try looking inside at the paint a little more – I think that’s where we did well when we did score.”
The Opals play New Zealand again on Friday night on the Sunshine Coast before wrapping up the series with game three in Hamilton on Sunday.
More Coverage
Originally published as Townsville basketball star Alex Fowler opens up on ‘very special’ Australian Opals debut
Join the conversation
US colleges court rising Aussie hoops sensation
He’s one of Australia’s best young talents, but Roman Siulepa is the latest name to be linked with the USA, with colleges and their big money deals sparking serious interest in the teenager.
Read more
‘Ain’t going anywhere’: Inside SA’s WNBL three-year rescue package
WNBL basketball will remain in Adelaide after the state government stepped in. So what happens next? A new home, a potential coach – all the details of SA’s rescue package here.
Read more