Basketball On The Internet.

RACHEL Jarry and Katie-Rae Ebzery were the cavalry off the Opals' bench today, rescuing Australia before Liz Cambage delivered the coup de grace in a 74-66 win over Belarus.

Just as it had against Japan, Australia needed another withering finish, outscoring Belarus 22-7 in the final period after trailing at every break and again lacking the offensive sync so characteristic of the Boomers.

Cambage scored seven of her game-high 17 points in the final stanza, the Opals taking the lead on her three-point play with 4:11 left, pushing the score to 65-62.

At 3:33, Tessa Lavey nailed a 3-pointer and at 68-62, Belarus' resolve, so strong for so long, finally was broken.

Cayla George swished another three at 2:15 which would have blown the lead out to nine but it was ruled fractionally to have been released after the shot-clock.

Yelena Leuchanka gave Belarus hope when she scored with 1:57 left but it was its last hurrah.

Cambage's layup made it 70-64 and Leilani Mitchell's free throws nudged the lead to eight before Belarus' American-born guard Lindsey Harding finally hit a shot (she was 4-of-16 after hurting the Opals early) to break the drought.

Ebzery then iced the final score from the stripe, completing an important performance for her and a team still far from anything like the form necessary to trouble favourite USA. 

Jarry, one of Australia's unsung heroes in London and a reliable performer at the 2014 FIBA World Championship, finally received some consistent time and did well with her 6:51 to halftime.

She led the Opals at the interval with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, including a super tough basket on the break with a bonus free throw that brought Australia back to 33-37.

TO THE HOOP: Rachel Jarry en route to a basket. Picture courtesy FIBA

Leuchanka, having her way with the Australian bigs for 11 points at the main break, had slotted two free throws to give Belarus its biggest first-half lead at 37-30 with 2:47, before Jarry's three-point play.

An Erin Phillips steal led to a Jarry 3-pointer and by halftime, the deficit was back to three at 36-39.

That's what it had been at the end of the opening period too when Australia again had to close from 18-24 down to 22-25 by the break.

Belarus' shooting guard Tatsiana Likhtarovich had 10 points at 100 percent in that period, attacking the Opals' much-vaunted defence without any apparent indecision.

George's 3-pointer at 7:39 in the second had the Aussies back to 26-29 but the Opals were lacking any "grunt" until Jarry's insertion.

YELENA LEUCHANKA: Had her way with the Opals' bigs in the first half. Picture courtesy FIBA

Anastasiya Verameyenka got Belarus rolling in the third with consecutive baskets, the second a 3-pointer for a 46-38 lead.

Harding and Leuchanka pushed that to 50-39 before Jarry returned to the fray, Harding's jumpshot with 4:26 to three-quarter-time giving Belarus a fluffy, comfy 52-39 cushion.

The fight back began when Ebzery converted two powerful drives and Jarry fed Cambage for a strong basket.

George's three was big and by the last break, the Opals had grafted back from 13 down to 52-59.

It was time for the "Comeback Queens" to step up again and Jarry led the way, her steal gifting Laura Hodges for 54-59.

Jarry hustled for a defensive deflection, George scored off an offensive board and at 56-59, Belarus was feeling Bilious.

Once Cambage tied it up, the panic and loss of composure was so acute, Belarus  barely could run a decent offence again.

Phillips' 100th game in the green-and-gold was memorable for the win, but little else. A 5-0 pool sweep, without one genuinely consistent 40-minute performance, is cause for both great satisfaction and more than quiet concern. 

AUSTRALIA OPALS 74 (Cambage 17, Taylor 11, Ebzery, George 9, Mitchell, Jarry 8; Cambage 9 rebs; Lavey 6 assts) d BELARUS 66 (Harding 16, Leuchanka 15, Likhtarovich 14, Verameyekna 12; Leuchanka 7 rebs; Leuchanka, Likhtarovich 4 assts).