Basketball On The Internet.

OK, I admit it. I'm nervous about the Opals in Brazil facing the hosts, Germany and Serbia from tomorrow morning, an Olympic berth for the Paris Games at stake. Barring the unforeseen, the Australian women's team - 2022 FIBA World Cup Bronze Medallists - really only need win one game and should qualify. 

Sounds easy enough, right?

Beat Germany in Game 2 and we're over because the group's leading three teams go on to be among the 12 competitors in Paris. Of course, that presumes Germany doesn't beat either Brazil or Serbia. 

When this thing tips off tomorrow morning, Brazil is favourite to beat Australia. Brazil has been a World Champion, albeit 30 years ago when the FIBA tournament was held in Australia.

Ironically, Australia was World Champion in 2006 ... when it was staged in Brazil.

There's history here.

Don't let the current world rankings, which have the Aussies at #3 and Brazil at #8, fool you. That passionate, loud, drum-beating feverish fanbase will influence the atmosphere, the mood and ultimately, the officials.

Not inferring for even a millisecond the Opals might be robbed. Just saying a win tomorrow would be more of an achievement than an out-of-date ranking number might suggest.    

Germany at #25 represents our best chance to advance before finishing against recent international nemesis Serbia, which is #10.

Our national team has been putting the work in this week in Belem, Brazil and looking the part.

But there are several keys to how this team could/would/should evolve. For starters, our international contingent - Alanna Smith, Ezi Magbegor, Marianna Tolo - come in full of confidence.

Bec Allen less so, not having played for a while and something of a question-mark going in. At her best? No-one has much of a quibble.

Smith also is an asset but coach Sandy Brondello has in the past treated her like a red-headed stepchild, so whether that has changed remains to be seen.

Sami Whitcomb, Jade Melbourne, Isobel Borlase and Steph Reid all have been in consistently good WNBL form. The question hovering over Reid, a spectacular player at WNBL level, is can she take the step up in international company?

We're about to find out.

The same applies to another debutante in Borlase, though the elements in her burgeoning game - as with Melbourne - indicate the transition to the international game should be smoother.

Tess Madgen has been in a constant battle with knee issues and will be making a Herculean effort to perform in three games over four days.

Cayla George's form also has been mostly indifferent until about the past month and Lauren Jackson's injury management is a justified concern.

Sara Blicavs' past month in the WNBL was less imposing than the previous one, making this mix a challenging one for Brondello.

Put it this way. Heading into these qualifiers, our Opals do not look anywhere near as polished or accomplished as the crew that secured Bronze at Sydney 2022.

Let's not revisit the usual "Group of Death" soccer BS, but let's also not believe this will be any sort of Australian cakewalk. Here's the groups and FIBA's world rankings:

*Antwerp, Belgium: USA #1, Belgium #6, Nigeria #11, Senegal #20.

Belem, Brazil: Australia #3, Brazil #8, Serbia #10, Germany #25.

Sopron, Hungary: Spain #4, Canada #5, Japan #9, Hungary #19. 

*Xi'An, China: China #2, France #7, Puerto Rico #12, New Zealand #23.

(*Three teams qualify from Belem and Sopron but only two from Antwerp and Xi'An. That's because the USA in Antwerp is already qualifed as World Champion, and France in Xi'An also already through as the Olympic Games' host nation.)

Watch the Opals on ESPN or KAYO

Friday: V Brazil (10am AEDT)

Sunday: V Germany (7am AEDT)

Monday: V Serbia (7am AEDT)