AUS - Defencejobs Opals squad announced

CANBERRA (National Team) - Basketball Australia has announced a 26-woman defencejobs Opals squad for its campaign to follow World Championship Gold with Olympic Gold.

All 12 World Champion defencejobs Opals have been retained, including Adelaide Lightning guard Erin Phillips, who is recovering from a knee reconstruction.

The youngest member of the squad is 20-year old Townsville Fire guard Renae Camino, while recent Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) championship winner Tully Bevilaqua is the oldest at 34 years of age.

"This is the squad, but certainly we can add and delete players at any given time," defencejobs Opals head coach Jan Stirling said.

"That has always been the case with shadow teams when they’re announced 18 months out from an Olympic Games."

"A number players named in the squad will be subject to stringent fitness and physiological testing in April in advance of the Opals’ June camp."

Tours to China, Russia and the United States are scheduled for 2007.

The squad is as follows:
Eva AFEAKI
Suzy BATKOVIC
Tully BEVILAQUA
Michelle BROGAN
Renae CAMINO
Rohanee COX
Hollie GRIMA
Jacinta HAMILTON
Kristy HARROWER
Lauren JACKSON
Kathleen MACLEOD
Sharin MILNER
Emily McINERNY
Jenna O’HEA
Erin PHILLIPS
Natalie PORTER
Alicia POTO
Emma RANDALL
Samantha RICHARDS
Jenni SCREEN
Deanna SMITH
Belinda SNELL
Laura SUMMERTON
Penny TAYLOR
Jenny WHITTLE
Carly WILSON

Basketball Australia