AUS - Opals select team for Europe

SYDNEY (Olympics) - Following the completion of a training camp in Cairns, Basketball Australia has named the athletes selected to represent the Australian Defence Force Opals on a tour of Europe.

The Opals will head to Italy next week to finalise their Olympic selection process with a three game series against 2006 World Championship Silver Medallist Russia.

Three athletes have been released from the Opals squad, reducing the group to 15 athletes, with the Olympic twelve to be announced by July 2nd.

Abby Bishop (Canberra), Kathleen MacLeod (Bendigo) and Samantha Richards (Perth) were the athletes released.

"It needs to be noted that these up and coming players that have not made the final team have still contributed greatly to our Olympic campaign," Opals head coach Jan Stirling said.

"To be in the mix of a world champion group only 60 days out from Beijing is an experience that we hope those athletes and the Opals program will benefit from in the future."

Lauren Jackson (Seattle) and Tully Bevilaqua (Indiana) will remain in the United States under WNBA contract and miss the tour while 2006 World Championship MVP Penny Taylor (Ekaterinburg, Russia) is resting at home in Melbourne after a long European season.

The Opals will depart Australia next Tuesday bound for Brunico, a small town located south of Austria in the Italian Alps. Games against Russia will be played on June 22, 23 and 24.



The Australian Defence Force Opals team for tour to Italy:
Name / Position / Last club played for

Suzy BATKOVIC / C / Ekaterinburg (Russia)
Rohanee COX / F / Townsville Fire
Hollie GRIMA / F-C / Italmoka Pozzuoli (Italy)
Kristi HARROWER / G / Ekaterinburg (Russia)
Erin PHILLIPS / G / Adelaide Lightning
Natalie PORTER / F / Sydney Uni Flames
Alicia POTO / G / Sydney Uni Flames
Emma RANDALL / C / Bulleen Melbourne Boomers
Jenni SCREEN /G / Parma (Italy)
Belinda SNELL / G / Bourges Basket (France)
Laura SUMMERTON / F / Taranto (Italy)
Carly WILSON / G /Perth Lynx



Opals European Tour Schedule at a glance:

June 17 Depart Aus for Italy

June 22 Australia v Russia Game 1

June 23 Australia v Russia Game 2

June 24 Australia v Russia Game 3

June 27 Opals Arrive back in Australia


Basketball Australia