AUS - Jackson still on track as Olympic quintet return for Opals

CANBERRA (FIBA Oceania Championship for Women/FIBA World Championship for Women) - There was a real buzz in the Australian capital as the legendary Lauren Jackson headlined the return of five Olympic stars as the Opals tipped off their training camp ahead of their FIBA Oceania Championship for Women series against New Zealand.

Jackson is scheduled to make her eagerly anticipated return to action against the Tall Ferns and attracted the bulk of the attention, as she practiced alongside fellow 2012 Olympians Jenni Screen, Belinda Snell, Abby Bishop and Laura Hodges.

With just one qualification spot for the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women in Turkey up for grabs, the Opals know that they need to be fully focused to continue their traditional dominance over their neighbours and avoid a nasty surprise.

Head coach Brendan Joyce is using the intensive five-day camp to get his team tuned in to the task ahead and to select his final 12, with not only his Olympic contingent to choose from.

There is also strong representation from the bronze medal winning 2013 World University Games squad in the shape of Marianna Tolo, Alice Kunek, Tess Madgen, Tessa Lavey and Natalie Burton.

Teenage rising star Stephanie Talbot could also land a spot after she followed up her WNBL Rookie of the Year Award with some stellar performances to lead the Gems to the podium at the recent FIBA U19 World Championship for Women in Lithuania. It was a string of performances which also landed her a coveted spot on the All-Tournament Team.

Whoever Coach Joyce choose, he has promised the players will receive a robust workout at the Basketball Australia National Centre of Excellence.

"This last camp is all about putting the final touches on our ability to execute at both ends of the game - both offensively and defensively," he said.

"We've got both the experience and the quality to rise to the challenge of the Tall Ferns, and now we need to work how we anticipate they're going to play.

"Our team has spent a lot of time entrenching our trademarks and culture throughout our previous camps, and now it's time to put those Opals' values into action.

"In particular, the last camp we held was tough - both physically and mentally - and this camp next week will be too.

"But I know these athletes are 100% committed," continued Joyce.

"They've shown me that they want to be coached, they've been extremely responsive to rigorous training, their effort levels during camp have been tremendous and we've been able to move forward in leaps and bounds. I can't fault them.

"As long as we keep that momentum going and as long as we're cohesive in our style of play, I have every confidence we'll take it to New Zealand in the FIBA Oceania Championship."

The 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship will see the Opals take on the Tall Ferns on Wednesday 14 August in Auckland, with the return game pencilled in for Sunday 18 August at the AIS Arena in Canberra.

The Opals squad consists of: Abby Bishop (Canberra Capitals), Natalie Burton (West Coast Waves), Cayla Francis (Nantes), Laura Hodges (Adelaide Lightning), Natalie Hurst (Canberra Capitals), (WNBL), Lauren Jackson (Seattle Storm), Alice Kunek (Dandenong Rangers), Tessa Lavey (Bendigo Spirit), Tess Madgen (Melbourne Boomers), Jennifer Screen (Adelaide Lightning) Belinda Snell (CCC Polkowice), Stephanie Talbot (Adelaide Lightning), Marianna Tolo (Bourges Basket), Kristen Veal (Logan Thunder), Kelly Wilson (Bendigo Spirit), Hanna Zavecz (Logan Thunder).

FIBA