‘This is sick!’ Opals dominate Serbia to seize semi-final spot

The Opals have spent the past week asking themselves questions.

The shock loss to Nigeria stung. What on earth happened there?

The win over Canada was patchy and scratchy, tentative and unconvincing. Is that really us?

Finding a way against France – in a seething host nation cauldron – was bruising and chaotic and emotional. Could it be trusted?

The way head coach Sandy Brondello looks at things, negative experiences are positive ones, too – as long as you sit with them for a moment.

“You can see it, you can feel it,” said Brondello. “What are you going to do about it?”

Opals captain Tess Madgen leads Australia into the Olympic semifinals in a dominant win over Serbia at Bercy Arena in Paris.Credit: Eddie Jim

They found their answer in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at Bercy Arena, dominating Serbia from start to finish (85-67) in the most complete match of this Opals campaign.

Brondello has been harping on the same theme after every undeveloped performance at these games – namely that with limited preparation, the team needed time to get better and better, from their rhythm to their rotations.

“We executed,” said Brondello proudly, following the commanding win. “They’re very intentional, they’re locked in, they’re confident. It was a very professional win.”

Sami Whitcomb, who finished the game with an industrious 15 points, said it’s all about belief, and trust, and a group doesn’t get either without time together.

Opals star Cayla George.Credit: Eddie Jim

“There was never a doubt that we were going to turn it around in terms of the effort, the focus, all of those things. It was just about: Are we going to get it together tactically and chemistry-wise? We know we belong here.”

The Opals established a dynamic tone early against the world number 10 team, finding one another in space, including damaging fast breaks. They put speed into the contest, in contrast to the crash-and-bash of the group stage, which Brondello had described as “rugby”.

With a quarter left to play, Australia held a 24 point lead. Aussie hoops fans, no doubt still scarred from the Boomers loss after holding the same lead, against the same country, 24 hours ago, needn’t have worried.

“We didn’t talk about it,” said veteran Cayla George, 35, who found the nylon off the bench with 17 points, along with her trademark spark and aggression. “Some people might have been thinking about it, but I wasn’t. That can happen sometimes in basketball, and unfortunately it happened to the Boomers. We just keep fighting for another day. I thought we showed great poise.”

A new generation of Opals led the way, starting with Alanna Smith, 27, posting a 22 point, 13 rebound “double double”. The daughter of NBL veteran Darren Smith and niece of former Boomers captain Jason Smith has struggled for minutes in previous campaigns, but was on fire with the Minnesota Lynx this WNBA season, and in the space of two games has become the Opals’ dominant big.

“She’s so athletic and agile,” George said. “She was on almost every rebound, attacking the rim. I love that for her, I love that for us.”

But the story of the night was the emergence of Olympic debutant Jade Melbourne, 21. With Bec Allen out injured, Melbourne played her best game yet in green and gold, controlling the floor, taking body contact, and taking her chances.

“That’s what we need in a point guard,” said Lauren Jackson. “We need that ability to take the hits, get back up and be resilient, and go and make the threes. She really showed what she’s made of tonight.”

Brondello couldn’t help but smile over what she saw. “To be a starting point guard, in a team with high expectations?” she said. “She’s young. This is a big moment – this is not easy.”

“Jade is a little menace,” said George, grinning. “She’s a really cool cat, great around the group, and she’s got a bright, bright future.”

The star herself – a team energy source who sees her role as everything from diving on loose balls to attempting unrealistic layups - could barely contain her excitement.

“The WNBA is so cool – the best league in the world - but international basketball is a whole other level,” Melbourne said. “This whole tournament has been a massive whirlwind. I’m at an Olympic Games – this is sick!”

The win sets up a semi-final on Friday against Team USA – winner of the past seven gold medals, and who have not lost an Olympic game since 1992. That run continued with an easy 88-74 quarter-final win over Nigeria.

Daunted? Excited? Both? Neither?

“Excited, definitely,” she said. “Every team that plays us has to bring their best effort, and so do we. We’re not scared of them. They’re just another bunch of girls that can play basketball.”

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