Belgrade-bound Opals name 16-strong training camp roster
SYDNEY (Australia) - Rising star Anneli Maley of Bendigo Spirit has been invited to Australia's training camp ahead of the Opals' trip to Belgrade for FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament.
The 16-strong final Opals training camp squad has been named!💚💛
— Basketball Australia (@BasketballAus) January 17, 2022
SQUAD👉https://t.co/UwaXjHLwvx#WeAreBasketball pic.twitter.com/1kE28PeBeF
Maley, 23, caused a stir down under in Round 4 of the WNBL when she had 38 points and 20 rebounds in Bendigo's 100-88 defeat at UC Capitals. A player in Australia's youth squad, Maley won a gold medal at the 2019 Summer Universiade in Naples.
Another starlet from Australia's youth teams, Sydney Uni Flames point guard Shyla Heal, will attend the camp and stake a claim for a spot in the team that takes on Serbia, Brazil, and Korea at the Qualifying Tournament, which is being held February 10-13.
The training camp will be staged January 31 to February 4 in Sydney.
"THE QUALIFYING GAMES IN SERBIA WILL BE FIERCE, THE COMPETITION IS ALWAYS TOUGH AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, SO THIS CAMP IS A PIVOTAL TIME FOR US TO PREPARE."
The Opals are assured of a spot in the 12-team World Cup as the host nation but after a challenging Olympic campaign which saw the team barely make it to the Quarter-Finals before falling to the United States, every practice and game will be important.
"The qualifying games in Serbia will be fierce, the competition is always tough at the international level, so this camp is a pivotal time for us to prepare," coach Sandy Brondello said.
Maley is excited about the opportunity to attend the camp.
"I really love the Opals culture and what they stand for," she said. "My idol growing up was Penny Taylor. I really loved the way that she played and went about it. For now, I'm focused on each week playing with Bendigo Spirit, getting a spot at the camp is fantastic. Anyone who knows me will tell you I will put in 100%, probably more actually."
| Australia training camp roster for WWCQT Serbia | |||
| Sami Whitcomb | Shyla Heal | Maddi Rocci | Rebecca Cole |
| Lauren Nicholson | Tess Madgen | Jade Melbourne | Steph Talbot |
| Sara Blicavs | Anneli Maley | Alanna Smith | Ezi Magbegor |
| Darcee Garbin | Abby Bishop | Cayla George | Zitina Aokuso |
Every player named to the training camp squad is playing in the WNBL, and that includes Tokyo Olympians Ezi Magbegor, Cayla George, Tess Madgen, Sara Blicavs, Steph Talbot, and Alanna Smith.
Players included from the Opals team that came in third at the FIBA Women's Asia Cup in Jordan last October are Lauren Nicholson, Samantha Whitcomb, Jade Melbourne, Darcee Garbin, and Zitina Aokuso.
Southside Flyers trio Abby Bishop, Maddi Rocci, and Rebecca Cole have also been invited to the camp.
FIBA
