New Opals coach Graf eyes Olympics gold.

New Opals head coach Carrie Graf says superstars Lauren Jackson and Penny Taylor will be at their peak for the 2012 London Olympics and spurred by disappointment to win Australia’s first basketball gold medal. With the Opals already world champions, her task in her four-year reign is to defend the world crown in 2010 and [...]

Brightest Opals battling imperfections.

Penny Taylor is fighting an ankle injury and Lauren Jackson requires surgery but Australia’s two battered leading lights should still play if the Opals can reach the Olympic gold medal match. Jackson needs more surgery on the ankle she had reconstructed three years ago but will definitely play in Australia’s semi-final showdown with China on [...]

The Jackson drive: Lauren Jackson tonight must beat the coach who rates her the best in the world.

Lauren Jackson has one speed bump to get over to have another shot at winning the only accolade to elude her during her illustrious career, an Olympic gold medal. Maher and his Chinese team stand in her way. Their history is long. Maher brought a teenage Jackson into the national team when he was coach, [...]

Penny Taylor’s Olympics might be over.

Australian basketball star Penny Taylor faces a race against the clock to be fit for the gold medal game at the Beijing Olympics. Taylor crashed to the floor in agony just 54 seconds into the third quarter of tonight’s quarter-final clash with the Czech Republic won by Australia 79-46. Taylor was carried from the court in [...]

Australia’s own dream team.

The strongest Australian women’s basketball team ever has been assembled for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The world champions have the firepower to topple the United States and a home series against the strong Brazilians at the end of the month will put the finishing touches on their Games preparations. Not since Sydney 2000 [...]

Lauren Jackson eyes Beijing gold.

As soon as she finishes playing in Russia, Jackson will head to the US to compete in part of the WNBA season, before preparing to lead Australia’s Opals to China. And with the Australian team securing a silver medal in the past two Olympics, Jackson has only one colour on her mind. “I’m really excited [...]

Opals get first taste of Olympic venue.

Australia’s world champion women’s basketball team have left for Beijing to get a first-hand look at the venue where they hope to finally win Olympic gold in four months time. The Opals will contest a six-nation test event at the Beijing Olympic Basketball Stadium, opening their campaign against arch-rivals the United States on Saturday in [...]