A double-dose of Serbian revenge
IT hasn't happened since the 2016 Rio Olympics that Australia's men's and women's teams both needed to push past Serbia to make it to the medal podium but here we are in Paris and that's exactly what it will take, both the Boomers and Opals lining up for KO quarter-finals against their past nemesis.
Oui Oui! Opals advance to the Olympic big dance
TESS Madgen wound back the clock today to produce an outstanding game which not only pushed Australia past France 79-72 - and a roaring, rabid 27,000-strong crowd in Lille - but into second place in Group B and an Olympic KO quarter-final showdown with Serbia in Paris.
A serve of Serbia as Gangurrus bound out
JUST how informative, influential or relevant the Boomers' 84-73 win over Nikola Jokic's Serbia was in their pre-Olympic warm-up clash in Abu Dhabi will be on show on Tuesday when they meet in a KO Paris Olympics quarter-final, the winner advancing to meet Brazil or the USA in the semi finals.
Boomers advance, revenge and now for the Opals
AFTER the many international heartbreaks Spain has caused Australia over the years, the joy of beating it by 12 points in their Paris Olympic Games Group A opener has only heightened for the Boomers, elevated into the quarter-finals courtesy of Canada's overnight elimination of those same brazen bullfighters.
Hellish wait now for Boomers to advance
IT IS an anxious wait now for the Boomers, sweating the result of the Canada-Spain match overnight to finalise positions in Group A after Giannis Antetokounmpo tonight propelled Greece to a 77-71 victory, Australia's 16 turnovers and 10-of-21 return from the free throw line proving suicidal.
Play it Again Sami as Whitcomb leads Opals' win
NATURALISED Opals combo guard Sami Whitcomb tonight produced her finest game in the green-and-gold to lead Australia to a 70-65 win over Canada, breathing life back into its Paris Olympic campaign with a crucial final intrapool match to go against host nation France.
Brad&Boti: Opals to beat Canada, but Greece is the word
BRAD&BOTI: Former Sydney Kings captain, multi-media personality and ABC Radio caller for these Games, Brad Rosen and I sit down and discuss the Boomers' opening games in Paris and whether the Opals' Olympic campaign can be salvaged in an updated Brad&Boti podcast.
Time for Opals culture, heart, spirit to emerge
BACKS against the wall, Australia's women must dig deep tomorrow to stay alive in their Paris Olympics group, opponent Canada also reeling after taking a 21-point mauling from host nation France, a result almost as shocking as the Opals' 13-point loss to African champion Nigeria.
Turnovers dog Boomers gallant demise
CANADA tonight pulled off a third quarter ambush that led to a 93-83 win over the Boomers, the FIBA World Cup bronze medallists efficiently paced by Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett's game-high 24 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals, leaving Australia needing now to beat Greece in its final intrapool match.
African queens polish off wayward Opals
A STAGGERING 26 turnovers, including nine in the first quarter, and a grim 8-of-18 return from the free throw line tonight consigned Australia to a shock 62-75 loss to African champion Nigeria, Alanna Smith leading a comeback which was throttled by the Opals' basic inability to handle the pressure.