Basketball Australia (BA) has announced the extended Seven Consulting Opals squad. Coming off the heels of their rose-gold finale against Canada at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in October, the Opals will look to continue a podium-finishing streak in the 2023 Asia Cup and 2024 Paris Olympics.
All squad members will be making their way to a camp at the AIS National Training Centre in Canberra in March, with the exception of Ezi Magbegor (Sopron), Alanna Smith (Sopron), Marianna Tolo (Girona) and Darcee Garbin (DVTK-Hun-Therm), who are all currently playing in Europe.
Emerging talent is on the rise with Isobel Borlase (18), Nyadiew Puoch (18) and Shaneice Swain (19), who are all recent graduates from the Centre of Excellence and already making waves in the WNBL. Sarah Portlock (16) is an exciting 6ft 7in Centre of Excellence athlete who will join the camp to gain valuable experience and an understanding of the unique Opals culture.
Head Coach Sandy Brondello is currently based in the USA and will be heading to Europe prior to returning to Australia for the camp.
“There is no doubt the World Cup was fantastic, but all our attention is now firmly on the future, and we have some really exciting talent that I look forward to working with. The camp will give us the opportunity to bring back our seasoned athletes and mix them with emerging talent in what will be a very competitive environment. We have to keep investing in the future and immersing them in the Opals culture, so they know physically and mentally what it takes to play at the highest level.”
“I’ve been watching a lot of WNBL games and I am really impressed with the talent, I look forward to working with these athletes at the camp. I will head to Europe prior to the camp as it’s important to touch base with all the Australians playing there and assess where everyone is at.”
“I’m excited to go back to the Centre of Excellence, it’s been a while I have to say, I’m sure it will bring back a lot of memories and I feel really honoured to be coming back here as a former graduate and now having the privilege to be coaching the national team,” said Brondello.
The camp will be held at the AIS National Training Centre from March 31-April 5.
In the spirit of reconciliation Basketball Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.