BOURGES (EuroLeague Women/WNBA) - Australia's towering center Marianna Tolo is in hot demand right now and has pinpointed last year's FIBA World Championship for Women as one of the main reasons why.

When leading frontcourt star Elizabeth Cambage was struck down by injury prior to the prestigious event, the Opals needed someone to step up in Turkey and Tolo certainly did that with an array of eye-catching contributions.

The 25-year-old finished as top scorer and joint-leader in rebounds, something which has resulted in her now being given the opportunity to launch a WNBA career later this year with the Los Angeles Sparks.

I am not so sure if I would have been able to look forward to this WNBA experience if it wasn't for the FIBA World Championship for Women. - Tolo

"The tournament was unbelievable, the girls were awesome and we had a lot of fun.

"I think that when a team is happy off the court, it transfers on the court.

"We were so focussed and on a mission to succeed.

"While the loss against USA was a pity, it was a learning lesson for us all.

"It was satisfying personally to know that I could compete against the best in the world and it obviously helps that I probably wasn't so well known and teams were probably more focused on the likes of Penny Taylor and Erin Phillips.

Now Tolo will join her colleagues in the States and in the case of two-time WNBA champion Phillips, it will be as a team-mate with the Sparks.

"I'm very excited to have this opportunity to play in the WNBA, especially knowing that not many people get this chance," said Tolo.

"I am also very excited to be able to play with Erin, which I'm sure will help our national team connection.

"It is going to be a great challenge to play against some of the best in the world and to train against and learn from the likes of Candace Parker and Nnemkadi Ogwumike will be a great learning experience for me."

She isn't the only Opals player who will continue the tradition of Australian players stepping out in the WNBA, with the likes of Rebecca Allen having been signed to the New York Liberty - something which Tolo believes will fuel the national team.

Tolo said: "There will be a lot of us Aussies in the league this year and this is a great thing for Australian basketball.

"Having to compete against some of the best in the world will be so positive for us and I am excited about what the future holds.

Credit to Basketball Australia for the investment into and the development of all our women's ballers. - Tolo

"Hopefully we can continue to promote women's basketball in Australia and importantly, get a television station to pick up the WNBL.

"These next couple of years are going to be so exciting," continued the Queensland native.

"After playing in the WNBA, I will have achieved everything except the one thing I really want - the Olympics!

"This has always been my dream and I will do everything I can to be there.

"The ultimate goal would be a gold medal in Brazil and we are definitely on our way with the Opals in creating a team that could possibly achieve this."

Before she can indulge too much in Californian dreaming and thinking of hitting the floor in Rio next year, Tolo has some serious EuroLeague Women business to take care of.

Tango Bourges will go up against Dynamo Kursk in a three-game Play Off series next week looking to upset one of the leading contenders and that means addressing their unconvincing form away from their imperious home court.

"While we have kind of dominated this season in the French league, we have struggled at times in EuroLeague Women," confessed Tolo.

"You can't really expect to get very far [or higher up on the ladder] if you don't win a few games on the road.

"Kursk is going to be a great challenge for us and it is going to be a hell of a road trip.

"We also go in as the underdogs and without any expectations, so this is a positive and puts the pressure on them."

FIBA