Penny Taylor leads Opals to crucial group win over France

IN a contest likely to decide the semi-final match-ups in Rio, Penny Taylor lit up the Youth Arena with one of her greatest Olympic performances to relieve the weight of expectation on Liz Cambage.

Australia guard Penny Taylor (7) shoots.

AT 35 and in what shapes as her Olympic farewell tournament it was correctly assumed Opals captain Penny Taylor had conceded star billing to Liz Cambage.

In a contest likely to decide the semi-final match-ups in Rio, Taylor lit up the Youth Arena with one of her greatest Olympic performances.

The stakes were massive, with the Opals playing an unbeaten French team whose 2012 Olympics pool win over Australia had pushed the Opals into a semi-final against the USA.

And there was no Cambage there to help in the first half, her second foul after 3.30m sending her to the bench despite six of Australia’s first ten points.

None of that bothered three-time Olympian Taylor in the slightest, the WNBA veteran torching France with a 17-point half that was literally perfect.

France guard Gaelle Skrela, left, guards Australia guard Erin Phillips.

France's centre Sandrine Gruda (C) is blocked by Australia's forward Penny Taylor (L) and Australia's centre Marianna Tolo.

She scored 17 points and was flawless from the field (five from five), three point line (two from two) and foul line (five from five).

She hustled on defence and drew a big offensive foul on France’s weapon Isabelle Yacoubou as well as a strip and turnover.

And with Cambage on the sidelines 2014 world championships revelation Mariana Tolo grew in confidence as she returns from an ACL reconstruction.

Taylor’s 31 points - along with nine assists, five rebounds and three steals -tied Lauren Jackson’s Opals Olympics high score from 2004, with Tolo playing her best game since that knee blow-out.

Tolo played tight defence and contributed 14 points, Cambage’s 16 points came from only 15 minutes and across the board the defence was razor-sharp.

The 89-71 victory means Australia should top its pool, with match-ups against unbeaten Japan and then Belarus to come.

And if she tried to play down her own impact post-match, Taylor knew what it meant in her last Olympic Games.

“It’s huge. We don’t want to face the US until we have to, so I think that’s huge for us,’’ she said.

“We have been heavily relying on Liz, so it wasn’t fair for us to put all that weight on her shoulders and it was time for us to step up on the perimeter.

“I felt good. The last game my threes were off. You curse the basketball gods, but then they come good again.

“France has always been tough so I was really anxious about this game and I am glad it’s over.”

Coach Brendan Joyce revealed after that remarkable performance he had identified her as a mis-match and pushed her to get into the game.

France's point guard Olivia Epoupa (C) jumps for a basket between Australia's forward Natalie Burton (L) and Australia's shooting guard Erin Phillips.

The Phoenix Mercury star’s performance was all the more remarkable given she had failed to score for three quarters in Australia’s fighting win over Turkey on Monday morning (AEST).

“We felt like they would have trouble with Penny and they did,’’ he said.

“We felt like it was a mismatch whether they had a big or a little on her and we went through her and she delivered big time tonight.

“I just encouraged her to play her game and be aggressive. She knows when she should shoot and when she should drive, that’s what makes her great.

“She is so smart and the decisions she makes, it’s what makes her one of the greatest players of all time.”

Australia would never concede it but given America’s women have won the past five Olympic gold medals pool seeding means everything.

In an Olympic campaign with five pool games this contest would normally have far less at stake.

But this pool is likely to mirror the 2012 equation where Belinda Snell’s Hail Mary three from well behind half-way pushed their pool game into overtime.

The French still won the game - and the pool - and progressed all the way to a silver medal after losing to America in the final.

It meant Australia ran into America in the semi-final before eventually winning bronze after three straight silver medals at the Olympics.

Originally published as Penny Taylor leads Opals to crucial group win over France