Basketball On The Internet.

OUR mighty Aussie Opals - and I call them "mighty" because Naismith knows this performance in Turkey has been way above expectations - can add Canada's scalp tonight and march on to the semi finals.

Now seriously folks, no LJ, no Suzy, no Kristi, suddenly, unexpectedly right at the FIBA World Championship for Women's doorstep ... no Lizzie - yet Brendan Joyce's Australian team is a win from the semis and a top-four finish.

You know the selections of Tessa Lavey and Nat Burton raised eyebrows. You know selectors initially were concerned Gabe Richards would not be able to take the step up.

And you know how hard it must have been to so seemlessly integrate Penny Taylor and Erin Phillips a week out from the tournament.

Just three Olympians remain from London - Laura Hodges, Belinda Snell and Rachel Jarry.

Again, c'mon now. You know Laura barely hit the hardwood in London and Jarry was a rookie.

And if you think back to that tournament, the thing you recall first about Snelly was that halfcourt monster bomb which sent the game against France into overtime.

What else do you remember?

Yet everyone has stepped up for Joyce.

Everyone.

Marianna Tolo has grown as a starter.

Leilani Mitchell has wreaked some havoc off the bench.

Cayla Francis has had great moments and Rebecca Allen has stamped her passport for Rio with what she brings and what she promises.

Ever since Robbie Cadee got Australia to a Bronze Medal game at the Seoul Olympics in 1988, the potential for our women to genuinely shine on the international stage has been evident.

Tom Maher made the Opals sparkle from the 1994 Worlds until the end of his tenure, getting them to the medal round in his first attempt. And every subsequent attempt.

From 1996 on and with the exception only of the ill-conceived 2010 campaign, the Opals have come home with medals of every hue, culminating with the Jan Stirling-inspired Gold of 2006.

We have produced a stockpile of international superstars, from the obvious - trailblazed by Michele Timms but including players such as Sandy Brondello and Michelle Brogan and a holy host of others - to the less apparent, our multitude of kids scattered across US colleges.

I am not for a second forgetting our fourth placing way back in 1979 when Australia lost the Bronze Medal game to tonight's opponent Canada, albeit in a boycotted World Championship in Seoul.

Or how exceptionally our national women's teams have performed since first gate-crashing a World Championship in 1957.

We have borne witness to our Opals doing and achieving some amazing feats across the ages, but whether they bow out tonight or live to fight on, we should never under-estimate or underplay how magnificently they have performed in Turkey.

It won't necessarily be in your TV guides but ABC will be showing it live tonight from 8.55pm in Qld, NSW, ACT, Vic, Tas, 8.25 in SA and NT and 6.55pm in WA.

These Opals continue to be breathtaking. Given all the circumstances, this is as outstanding an achievement as we have seen from this program.

That in itself is quite the accomplishment.

SOME recent News Corp stories on our Opals (You might have to copy and paste the links, having some website issues.) http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/penny-taylors-opals-ready-to-spread-maple-syrup-and-make-canada-toast-in-world-championship-quarterfinal/story-fnii09gt-1227077850354

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/sizzling-aussie-opals-have-surprised-all-at-fiba-womens-world-championship-but-not-coach-brendan-joyce/story-fnii09gt-1227076898599

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/erin-phillips-leads-opals-into-world-championship-quarterfinals-as-bell-tolls-for-belarus/story-fnii09gt-1227075834881