The Opals will come home without a medal for the first time since 1992 after crashing out in the quarterfinals against Serbia this morning.
After winning all five of their preliminary games, the Opals looked to be on their way to the gold medal match to face team USA, however 26 turnovers and an aggressive Serbian side put an end to their campaign.
The Opals held a two point lead at halftime and looked set to run away with the match in the third quarter, opening up a nine-point lead, before Serbia closed within one point heading into the final quarter.
Liz Cambage again played a leading role for the Aussies but her 29 points and 11 rebounds weren’t enough. Mariana Tolo had a chance to tie up the scores with a lay-up but she missed, handing Serbia the 73-71 upset.
Speaking to the media after the match Opals captain Penny Taylor couldn’t hide her disappointment.
“It’s really disappointing. I think I could have contributed more, to say the least,” she said
“This sucks but I’m always proud to play for my country.”
Australia’s hopes of a basketball medal now rest on the shoulders of the Boomers, who take on Lithuania on Thursday morning AEST. – Luke Cullen.
Photo of Opals captain Penny Taylor from Basketball Australia Twitter feed.
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