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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.

Despite another appalling 20 turnovers, they did not cause as much destabilising mayhem as the record 26 in the loss to Nigeria due to Canada also turning the ball over 16 times.

The only time it truly hurt was in points spread after Whitcomb's driving three-point play gave the Opals a 70-58 buffer with 68 seconds remaining.

With her signature flopping, Canada's Kia Nurse experienced some free throw joy, her seven points inside the match's final 90 seconds taking her tally to 12 for the game.

That and a late Bridget Carleton three - her equal game-high 19 points included 5-of-7 triples - meant an Aussie lead which was grafted out to 13 at 62-49 on a Cayla George 3-pointer at 4:54 left, was clawed back to a less helpful five ... should points spread become a factor later.

Ultimately though, it was the win which mattered the most and Whitcomb made sure the Opals would bank it, scoring 19 points at 70 per cent, with 10 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals.

It was a tour de force, and George's 11 points also proved invaluable, including 3-of-4 threes.

Australia never surrendered the lead after halftime despite a patchy resumption and Ezi Magbegor collecting an undisciplined fourth foul with 5:36 left in the third.

But whenever the Opals needed something, Whitcomb provided it, whether it was a great defensive stand leading to an Isobel Borlase runner, or a slick pass to Marianna Tolo to give Australia a 51-44 buffer heading into the last.

An unsportsmanlike foul by George to start the last quarter hardly was comforting, until Natalle Achonwa aborted both free throws and Steph Talbot (11 points at 50 per cent, 9 rebounds, 6 assists) stole the ball on Canada's bonus possession.

That play was symptomatic of the Opals' approach tonight. They just were not going to entertain the idea of losing.

Australia's 38-32 halftime lead came courtesy of a George 3-pointer, just seconds after a Tolo turnover led to a three-point play by Kayla Alexander, fouled by George.

But nine Opals turnovers in the half were not as decisive as they were in the loss to Nigeria, thanks to Canada also coughing up the ball eight times.

Instead of sending 11 players into the fray in the first quarter as she had against Nigeria, Brondello allowed her starters to settle, overturning a quick 5-0 Canada lead and tying the game on a Magbegor 3-pointer at 8-8.

Whitcomb was 3-of-3 from the floor in the first quarter for her eight points as Australia built a 14-8 lead into 18-11 before running some indirect sets and opening the door for Canada to slice it back to 16-18 at the first break.

Her second quarter did not start nearly as well, consecutive turnovers after a Talbot turnover giving the Opals eight with still 8:46 to halftime, Carleton sticking a triple for 21-18, a 10-0 Canadian response.

Consecutive fouls at both ends of the floor rushed Magbegor onto three, Alanna Smith and Jade Melbourne already with two apiece.

Whitcomb to Tolo, then a Talbot defensive rebound she took all the way for a tying bucket at 24-24 was the Opals looking the goods.

Talbot had eight points and six boards to the main interval, George entering the game and sticking a three for 27-27. Talbot to Tolo, Whitcomb to a cutting Talbot and Australia led 33-27 on a 9-0 burst.

Taking a 27-17 boards edge into the interval also underpinned a far greater focus and work rate compared to the Opals' Olympics opener, Australia owning the glass 42-31 and still with scope to greatly improve further.

AUSTRALIA OPALS 70 (Whitcomb 19, Tolo, George, Talbot 11; Talbot 9 rebs; Whitcomb 10 assts) d CANADA 65 (Carleton 19, Nurse 12, Alexander 10; Carleton 8 rebs; Achonwa 7 assts) in Lille.

WOMEN'S RESULTS

Group A: Spain 90 d China 89, Serbia 58 d Puerto Rico 55; Spain 63 d Puerto Rico 62, Serbia 81 d China 59. Serbia 2-0 (+25), Spain 2-0 (+2), Puerto Rico 0-2 (-4), China 0-2 (-23)

Group B: Nigeria 75 d Australia 62, France 75 d Canada 54; Australia 70 d Canada 65.

Group C: Germany 83 d Belgium 69, USA 102 d Japan 76; Germany 75 d Japan 64.

MEN'S RESULTS

Group A: Australia 92 d Spain 80, Canada 86 d Greece 79; Spain 84 d Greece 77, Canada 93 d Australia 83. Canada 2-0 (+17), Australia 1-1 (+2), Spain 1-1 (-5), Greece 0-2 (-14).

Group B: Germany 97 d Japan 77, France 78 d Brazil 66; France 94 d Japan 90, Germany 86 d Brazil 73. Germany 2-0 (+33), France 2-0 (+16), Japan 0-2 (-24), Brazil 0-2 (-25).

Group C: South Sudan 90 d Puerto Rico 79, USA 110 d Serbia 84; Serbia 107 d Puerto Rico 66, USA 103 d South Sudan 86. USA 2-0 (+43), Serbia 1-1 (+15), South Sudan 1-1 (-6), Puerto Rico 0-2 (-52).