Basketball: Young Opals get chance to shine against Japan

Injuries forced Jackson into retirement in 2016, but after six years out of the sport, the greatest Opal of all time is back.

The now 41-year-old has dominated the NBL 1 East competition, averaging 32 points a game, which is how many she drained for Albury in an 82-50 win over the Newcastle Falcons on Saturday night.

The noise is getting louder about a fairytale return for the Opals at the Wold Cup in Sydney, starting September 22.

"Lauren was my idol growing up and I got to play with her in 2013 right before she went into retirement earlier than she would have liked because of injury," George told The Herald ahead of an international against Japan at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Tuesday night.

"To have her in the program - if she is in form and is fit enough to compete at the international level - would be great. If that is the case she would probably have to come in soon. We don't have too many things together before the team is selected."

The mention of another superstar, Liz Cambage, was not met with the same enthusiasm.

More explosive allegations were published on Sunday about Cambage's exit from the Olympics last year. Without the 203cm WNBA All-Star, the Opals bombed out in the quarter-finals in Tokyo.

The latest allegations of racism and video of a violent on-court tussle in a friendly against Nigeria pre-Olympics came to light on the same day that the Opals went down 56-55 to Japan.

Opals players are clearly frustrated at the Cambage situation.

Asked if the team had moved on, George replied: "Yes!"

The Japan series, which is tied at 1-all, is a building block towards the World Cup, for which Australian is ranked No.3.

George, guard Tess Madgen and forward Sara Blicavs are the only players that went to Tokyo in the WNBL-based squad for the Japan series.

"We are missing a fair chunk of the girls who are playing in the States and Europe," George said. "We still have a strong team and we want to make sure we get the W tomorrow and win the series.

"Every time we are together it is a building block. We don't take the green and gold lightly.

"Australian basketball for the past two decades, we have had really strong teams. We have been really fortunate to have a couple of superstars in those decades as well. Take them away and we still have really solid players and a great team."

George, a 193cm centre who led the Melbourne Boomers to the WNBL championship this season, said the Opals' game had evolved since Tokyo.

"We are probably not looking to get it into our six-foot-eight centre as much," she said in reference to Cambage. "We certainly are a lot faster defensively. You have to evolve as the game changes, as your team changes.

"We will be good, we will be ready. We have some great talent playing in the WNBA to come back into the mix. It is an exciting time for Australian basketball."

Anneli Maley is among the new crop and will make her Opals debut in Newcastle.

The 2021-22 WNBL MVP returned from the US on Saturday after a short contract with WNBA club Chicago Sky.

"I'm really excited for it," the 23-year-old said. "As a young girl, you grow up watching the Opals. They are the pinnacle of Australian women's basketball. It's more than just being an athlete, it is being a role model."

Maley averaged 19.8 points and 15.7 rebounds for the Bendigo Spirit last season and was rewarded with an invite to the Chicago training camp. The 183cm forward missed a place on the roster but was called in on an injury waver six weeks ago and played four games.

"I learnt so much. I was playing with some incredible veterans," she said. "I adjusted really well to the style of basketball of there - the pace, the physicality. Defending bigger bodies was a challenge. I feel like I did well and am grateful for the experience. The fact I even got to play a few games was a blessing. Hopefully, next year I can go back to training camp and find a way on to a roster."

Maley will add some scoring punch for the Opals after they were held to 55 points and shot at just 30 per cent on Sunday.

"No-one really shot the ball great," George said. "It was almost as though there was glad wrap on the rim at one stage. Defensively, the style they play , they are one of the quickest teams in the world. They bring a lot of defensive pressure and they are pretty good at it.

"We have to show more intensity straight up and not let them dictate how the game is played."

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