Opals march into Paris semis, eye seven-time champs USA

[Pelican Press 0]

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Opals march into Paris semis, eye seven-time champs USA

The Opals are readying for Mission Impossible after a crushing quarter-final defeat of Serbia continued their remarkable Olympics resurgence.

The *********** women’s basketball team won 85-76 at Paris’s Bercy Arena on Wednesday morning to book a likely semi-final with seven-time defending champions the ******* States.

They led by 28 at one stage, answering Serbia’s seven-point run to score the next 17 and ***** off the contest in an emphatic prelude to basketball’s toughest ask.

The US haven’t lost a game at the Olympics since 1992, notching 58 consecutive wins, 56 of those in double figures.

They’ll play Nigeria later on Monday, while Spain play Belgium and France meet Germany on the other side of the draw.

Australia led the US at halftime in their London 2012 semi-final before losing by 13 points, eventually settling for bronze.

That was the last of five consecutive Games minor medals for Australia, who were upset by Serbia and flogged by the US after poor Rio and Tokyo campaigns in 2016 and 2021 respectively.

But this time the Opals, behind evergreen point guard Sami Whitcomb and an array of contributors, are running hot following a shock opening loss to Nigeria.

Wednesday’s victory was comprehensive at both ends, tremendous defensive pressure complemented by methodical offence and sensible *********.

Australia had avoided a quarter-final clash with the Americans by defeating the previously unbeaten France and had earlier disposed of Canada in a must-win clash that was nothing like the effort they produced against Nigeria.

Whitcomb, an Olympic rookie at 36, has been central to that form surge, the architect on offence finishing with 15 points, four assists, three steals and just one turnover on Wednesday.

She made two timely three-pointers in the third quarter to swell the lead beyond 20, while earlier their team defence led to five stops towards the end of the half snuffed out Serbia’s run just as they’d reduced the margin to single figures.

Rookie guard ***** Melbourne (18 points, five assists) has grown into the tournament, mother and three-time Olympian Cayla George (18 points, four rebounds, three steals) has found arguably career best form as a bench threat and Alanna Smith (22 points, 13 rebounds, four assists) did as she pleased in the quarter-final.

Five-time Games veteran and 43-year-old Lauren Jackson hasn’t seen any game time in the last two matches but could play a role against the Americans.

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