Opals shore up finals berth
Australia is through to the gold medal playoff of the women’s basketball competition at the Commonwealth
Games, following a 56-point drubbing of Nigeria, flexing their sizeable muscle in front of a roaring Melbourne
crowd this afternoon.
The Opals were fired by star forward Lauren Jackson, who wowed the crowd in blitzing the Nigerians, scoring
a match high 37 points.
The Australians returned to Melbourne after a week in regional Victoria, and clearing relished the
opportunity to play in front of the strongest crowd of the competition to date.
The Opals signalled their intentions for a quick kill, flying out of the blocks with a 33-5 opening term,
burning off prospects of a Nigerian challenge.
In such clinical fashion, the Australian girls had pilled on 16 points before the Nigerians inflicted any
scoreboard pressure.
Although the Nigerians, led by Funmi Ojelabi and Mobolaji Akiode, stemmed the flow in the second stanza,
the damage had been done, Australia taking a commanding 34 point lead into the main break.
The third quarter fast evolved into the ‘Jackson Show’, the Aussie sensation shooting baskets with ease,
heading into the final term with a whopping 33 points under her belt despite several shots flying wide of the
mark.
|
Women's Basketball Group Match |
| AUSTRALIAN OPALS |
105 |
| Lauren Jackson | 37 |
| Laura Summerton | 17 |
| Katrina Hibbert | 11 |
|
| NIGERIA |
49 |
| Funmi Ojelabi | 10 |
| Mobolaji Akiode | 10 |
|
|
@ the Melbourne Park Sports Arena |
The Africans, try as the might, were no match for the Australians, with Australia continuing to reign
supreme in putting on 56 points to 34 in the second half, the match petering out to a comfortable Australian
victory.
Laura Summerton and Katrina Hibbert ably backed up Jackson’s 37 point annihilation with 17 and 11 points
respectively, with Hollie Grima also impressing with nine points and seven rebounds.
The capacity crowd’s hopes of a hearty contest were dashed, with the Nigerian side failing to live up to
expectations, but can leave Australian shores with their heads held high.
Australia will now look to Friday, focusing on their upcoming Gold Medal playoff match with the opposition
yet to be determined.
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