In a key Women's Basketball World Cup matchup, Australia's Opals beat Serbia 69-54. Playing in Sydney, the team delivered their strongest performance of the event to secure their second win, putting them in a much better position to advance to the playoffs. Unfortunately, the victory was marred by a serious injury to Rebecca Allen, who had been a standout performer with 16 points.
Australia’s Opals claimed a crucial 69-54 win over Serbia at the Women’s Basketball World Cup. The Opals produced their most impressive performance to outplay Serbia and registered their second win of the tournament in Sydney. Clinching a much-needed victory, the Opals have boosted their hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds. But Australia’s victory was soured by a brutal injury to their key star player Rebecca Allen. Allen was instrumental in the game and scored 16 points.
There are now serious doubts about whether Allen can continue in the tournament after her fourth-quarter accident. While diving for a ball in front of the Australian bench, she was struck in the stomach by a knee. She remained on the hardwood for several minutes before medical staff stepped in, and she was ultimately taken away in a wheelchair just before the final buzzer.
This victory allowed the Australian squad to get back at a rival that had plagued them recently, including a heartbreaking exit at the Rio Olympics and a loss during the qualifying rounds. Although Australia entered halftime with a comfortable 36-28 lead, Serbia managed to close the gap and put the Opals on edge with a surge of precise shooting. Ultimately, the home team regained their composure and locked down defensively to seal the win.
The Opals controlled the early tempo with an aggressive defense that forced Serbia into five shot-clock violations in the opening period. Lauren Jackson contributed five points to help establish an 8-point lead, limiting Serbia to only 10 points in the first quarter. Serbia attempted to claw back in the second, led by a sharp performance from Yvonne Anderson, who had 14 points by halftime.
Despite Serbia's efforts, Australia maintained an eight-point cushion and began to extend their lead in the third quarter. The game saw another scare when guard Sami Whitcomb, who scored 10 points, had to leave the court briefly to treat a cut on her nose. Once she returned, Serbia was unable to mount another serious threat, even though Anderson finished as their top scorer with 16 points.
With a current record of 2-1, Australia now needs to defeat Canada and Japan in their remaining group matches to guarantee a spot in the quarter-finals. The team will be anxiously awaiting news on Allen's recovery before their upcoming clash with Canada on Monday night.