Adelaide’s star Opal Laura Hodges at the doorstep of a record fourth Olympics

LAURA Hodges will join women’s basketball stars Lauren Jackson, Kristi Harrower and Sandy Brondello if she is selected for her fourth Olympic Games this year.

Opals Laura Hodges and Steph Talbot. Picture: Tom Huntley

LAURA Hodges will be in rare elite company if the athletic forward and Opals vice-captain at the 2014 FIBA World Championship is selected for Australia’s Rio Olympic women’s basketball team.

Only megastars Lauren Jackson, Kristi Harrower and Sandy Brondello have worn the green-and-gold at four Olympics but Hodges, 32, would join them if she gets the nod.

Hodges and fellow South Australian Olympic hopeful Stephanie Talbot leave tomorrow for Europe where an Opals squad of 13 will undergo a gruelling eight games in a fortnight as part of their Rio preparation.

Townsville-based Suzy Batkovic, who also debuted with Hodges at the Athens Olympics and backed up in Beijing and London, also is on the touring team and close to a record fourth Games selection.

“I think back to making the team for Athens and I was 20 years of age — a full-on lifetime ago,” Hodges said.

“You appreciate every Olympics even more because you know how special they are and how privileged you feel to represent Australia.”

Hodges said the quest for the final 12 berths to Rio was on in earnest and the European trip would be great challenge.

“Obviously the selection process is still underway and everyone will be trying to make the Olympic team,” she said.

But finding a rhythm as a collective, heading to the Olympics, was of equal importance.

The Opals land in Spain on Friday before back-to-back games against Argentina and Spain on May 29-30.

In Italy next, Cameroon, Belgium and the host nation are on the schedule from June 2-4 before Australia heads to France.

There the Opals will play China, Canada and France on June 7-8-9 respectively.

“It’s good for women’s basketball in Australia to have such a competitive selection (for Rio) and it’s great for the sport,” Hodges said.

“I’m very excited about this tour.

“I always love playing in the green-and-gold. It’s great to play for professional clubs but representing your country is the pinnacle.’

Hodges is coming off a season with Bourges in France where her team won the EuroCup but lost the French final.

She will know many of the opponents the Opals will be facing.

“The No. 1 thing for me on this tour is scouting,” Opals coach Brendan Joyce said.

“We won’t have our full team but the teams we are playing are high quality and will be at full strength.

“For example, nobody from Spain or France has gone to the WNBA and alongside China, they are all looking to qualify.

“We still have to select a team as well so these games will come into play in assisting us in our decision making.”

The Opals’ 13-player touring team: Rebecca Allen (SEQ Stars), Suzy Batkovic (Townsville Fire), Natalie Burton (Perth Lynx), Elizabeth Cambage (Shanghai, China), Katie-Rae Ebzery (Sydney Uni Flames), Cayla George (Townsville Fire), Laura Hodges (Bourges, France), Rachel Jarry (SEQ Stars), Tessa Lavey (Perth Lynx), Tess Madgen (Melbourne Boomers), Leilani Mitchell (Adelaide Lightning), Stephanie Talbot (University of Canberra Capitals), Marianna Tolo (LA Sparks, WNBA). Injured/unavailable: Abby Bishop (Seattle Storm, WNBA), Erin Phillips (Dallas Wings, WNBA), Penny Taylor (Phoenix Mercury, WNBA), Sara Blicavs (Dandenong Rangers, injured).

Originally published as Adelaide’s star Opal Laura Hodges at the doorstep of a record fourth Olympics