BENDIGO (2010 FIBA World Championship for Women) - Australia aren't at full strength, but don't tell that to the Japanese.
Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor and Belinda Snell - all prominent players in Australia’s gold-medal winning side at the 2006 FIBA World Championship - are in the WNBA and won't join the Opals until later this summer.
That afforded the rising star of the Australian women, 18-year-old center Liz Cambage, to move into the spotlight on Wednesday night and she took full advantage by scoring 17 points and grabbing 15 rebounds as the Opals thrashed Japan, 98-63.
With superior size, Australia out-rebounded Japan, 54-19, in the opening game of the Opals World Challenge.
While Cambage is an intimidating 2.03m in height, Australia veteran Kristi Harrower is a smaller 1.63m.
She has as much heart as any player in international basketball, though, and that was evident on Wednesday.
Playing in front of her hometown crowd in Bendigo, where she also competes in the WNBL, the 35-year-old point guard had seven assists and six rebounds to go with her 10 points.
“We started the game really up-tempo and we have practiced really hard over the last three or four days, so it was good to start that way and a good start to the series," Australia coach Carrie Graf said.
“Kristi Harrower really set a standard with Liz Cambage and Jenna O’Hea, who were standouts..."
Harrower was the starting playmaker on the Australia team four years ago that won the FIBA World Championship for Women in Brazil.
Japan, who tasted victory on their tour Down Under last week with a 110-59 triumph over the Big V All-Stars at Broadmeadows Basketball Stadium, looked good early on.
Trailing by seven, Japan's Yoshie Sakurada hit a three-ball with 6:13 to go in the first quarter to pull the visitors to within 14-10.
Australia's Laura Summerton answered with a three-point play which sparked a 10-0 run.
Cambage was next.
She followed up her own miss with a put-back and drew a foul on the play.
The giant pivot made the free-throw to push the Opals in front by 10.
Graf's team finished the first quarter with a 35-20 lead.
Australia stretched their advantage to 56-34 by half-time and pulled away after the restart for a decisive victory.
Sakurada had 24 points to lead all scorers for Japan.
Australia ended up with 17 second-chance points to none for Japan.
Game 2 against Japan will be at the Geelong Arena in Victoria on Thursday, while Game 3 will be on Friday at the Dandenong Basketball Stadium, which is also in Victoria.
Both sides will compete at the FIBA World Championship for Women later this year.
Australia will play in Group A along with Belarus, Canada and China, and Japan will go up against Argentina, the Czech Republic and Russia in Group D.
FIBA
