Basketball Australia, NZ, in talks to grow Trans-Tasman Challenge as Opals earn historic Adelaide win
And Code Sports can reveal the SA government wants to keep its leg in Adelaide for the foreseeable future after the Opals triumphed over New Zealand 88-70 in what is understood to be their first appearance in the state in almost 30 years.
The Opals burst out of the blocks, pouring in 27 points in a free-flowing first period, 10 of those coming from the hot hand of vastly improved Queenslander Miela Sowah.
The lead ballooned to 15 on a Steph Reid layup three minutes into the second and there were ominous signs a crushing win was on the cards.
But big-bodied Sharne Robati — a niece of Kiwi NBA powerhouse Steven Adams — and the plucky Tall Ferns had other ideas, turning the game into a slog and eating away at the lead.
Robati caused the Opals all sorts of problems, dominating the paint and hitting from deep on her way to 16 first-half points and, when Robati hit a free throw with just under six minutes to go in the game, the margin was just one.
The panic button wasn't needed for the Opals, though, as the bench, led by Sowah (a game-high 23 points), Alex Fowler (12), WNBL MVP finalist Courtney Woods (11) and the experienced Sara Blicavs (9), in her first game in green and gold since major spinal surgery forced her to learn to walk again — ensured the Opals ran away with it late.
Sowah, one of four national team debutantes, said the Opals' back-court defence was key to the team's ability to keep the Kiwis at bay, then tear away late.
'Our PGs (point guards), their defence was exceptional, they got so many steals and that got our offence going,' Sowah said on the Nine broadcast.
'We are a new team so it's pretty fun, definitely a couple of cobwebs to fix up.'
The reserves outscored the starters 61-27 and the Opals rode a crushing 47-32 advantage on the glass. The Aussies' nose for recovering their own misses resulted in 19 offensive rebounds.
Eleven of the 12 Aussies to take the floor managed at least one basket. Fit as a fiddle Maddi Rocci dished out seven assists and fellow guard Steph Reid chased a five-by-five with 6 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals, 2 blocks and 2 assists.
Robati paced the Kiwis with 19 points, while Pahlyss Hokianga (10) was the only other Tall Fern in double digits.
While BA records are incomplete, it's understood the Opals have not played a game in South Australia since way back in 1998 — the year the GOAT Lauren Jackson made her national team debut.
Following the first of six games across three states and two countries, Code Sports has been told both Basketball New Zealand and Basketball Australia are committed to making the Trans-Tasman event an ongoing rivalry between the neighbours.
And, against a backdrop of calls to prop up a WNBL team in Adelaide, state minister for sport Emily Bourke and minister for tourism Zoe Bettison have expressed interest in a multi-year deal that would ensure both the Boomers and Opals would play games in the city for the foreseeable future.
The Opals now shift their attention to making it two-from-two against the Kiwis, this time at UniSC Arena on the Sunshine Coast on Friday.
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