Sami Whitcomb’s fourth-quarter rampage has helped Australia to a 75-72 win over beforehand undefeated Canada that ensures the Opals will advance to the knockout stage on the girls’s basketball World Cup.
The victory at Qudos Financial institution Area improved Australia’s report to 3-1, that means they’re on monitor to complete within the high two of Group B and dodge a quarter-final assembly with red-hot match favourites the USA.
Bec Allen sat the sport out after struggling a rib harm within the Opals’ win over Serbia and her absence was felt early as Australia struggled to stay with the sharp-shooting Canadians, who ran away to a nine-point quarter-time lead.
A verbal change between Australia’s Kristy Wallace and Canadian captain Natalie Achonwa proved the impetus for a 19-0 surge that helped the Opals flip a 14-point deficit right into a five-point lead within the second quarter.
Wallace appeared to accuse Achonwa of enjoying for a foul and the Canadian fired again at her earlier than sinking her two free throws.
They have been to be Canada’s solely factors for the remainder of the half as Australia elevated their defensive strain and racked up eight unanswered factors to drive a timeout.
After a quiet begin to the match, Ezi Magbegor was the chief beneficiary of the Opals’ momentum, netting eight of the aspect’s 24 second-quarter factors to assist snatch the lead on the important change.
However turnovers price the Opals and Bridget Carleton (16 factors) impressed Canada to mount a fightback within the third.
Either side turned to determined measures late within the time period, conceding unsportsmanlike fouls within the ultimate 90 seconds, however it was Canada who took a six-point lead into the ultimate change.
Whitcomb and Steph Talbot performed 34 and 36 minutes, respectively, with the previous the Opals’ X-factor late within the sport, and the latter their defensive anchor.
Punching her fist to the gang and forcing a Canadian timeout, Whitcomb drew the scores stage with a three-pointer.
Whitcomb wasn’t achieved there.
She got here up with a steal that allowed Talbot to storm via the paint and shortly thereafter drained one other three-pointer to assist the Opals tighten the screws.
The New York Liberty guard completed with 15 factors – 9 within the ultimate quarter – whereas Talbot sunk two free throws within the ultimate 30 seconds that had her closing in on a triple double with 11 factors, 9 rebounds and eight assists.
Earlier, the USA saved their unbeaten run alive and posted a report for many factors in a World Cup sport by thrashing South Korea 145-69.
China, France and Belgium all posted wins that confirmed they might additionally advance to the quarter-finals of the match, whereas Mali and Bosnia & Herzegovina each misplaced their fourth straight video games and can’t advance past the group stage.