ANSHAN (Sino-Australian Challenge) - Australia’s women’s basketball team, the Opals, lost to China by one point, 74-73, in the final match of their three game series in Anshan, China overnight.
With Olympian Emma Randall and point guard Kathleen MacLeod out injured the undermanned Opals fought back from ten points down with two minutes remaining but fell short, giving China the series victory two games to one.
Australia won the opening game, 73-72, and China the second, 90-84.
Bulleen Boomers forward Elyse Penaluna top scored for Australia with 19 points in just her third game for the Opals while 2009 WNBL MVP Rohanee Cox contributed 10 points and Perth Lynx guard Deanna Smith added nine points.
Centre Chen Xiaoli top scored for China with 18 points while star Bian Lan was restricted to 14 points by Australia’s swarming team defence.
“Turnovers at critical times in the game were disappointing but we certainly improved our rebounding and it was another physical game which is great experience for the Opals,” Head Coach Carrie Graf said.
Athens Olympian Alicia Poto said the Opals worked hard to dominate the rebound count 38-16 but let themselves down in the first half.
“The series in China has been great for the development of this young team and we really enjoyed playing exciting international basketball in front of the packed stadiums.”
In a telling statistic, Australia turned the ball over 23 times to China’s 14.
After six days in China the Opals now head to Europe for a training camp in Varese in Italy before matches in the Czech Republic and France. Liz Cambage, Samantha Richards and Emma Randall leave the touring party as scheduled to be replaced by Natalie Hurst, Hollie Grima, Renae Camino and Jenna O’Hea.
China 74 (C Xiaoli 18, B Lan 14, Z Xiaoni 12) bt
Australia 73 (E Penaluna 19, R Cox 10, D Smith 9)
in Anshan, China
China wins series 2-1
Basketball Australia
