Opals future: The 12 teens plotting end to Team USA's basketball dominance after delivering almighty U19 World Cup scare
Twelve teens — one just 16 — combined to push the mighty USA, winners of 10 of 15 U19 Women's World Cup gold medals, including the past three, to an 88-76 result.
The 12-point margin was in no way indicative of the tightness of the clash. The Aussies were within 2 points at quarter time, fell behind by 10 at the long break and then reeled it back to just 4 on tournament All-Star Five Gem Bonnie Deas' trey with nine to go in the last.
From there, the USA had just enough physical supremacy to hold the plucky Australians off.
But even tournament MVP Saniyah Hall and fellow All-Star Five member Sienna Betts felt it was a great escape.
'I was so scared,' one was heard to say on the mic, post-game.
'They made every three,' another said, before the FIBA live feed was cut and set to private.
The Gems continued to spread the load as they've done throughout the tournament, with five players in double figures and nine of the 10 players to take the floor scoring.
Led by the elite Deas' 13, 11 points and 7 boards from Monique Bobongie and 11 and 5 assists out of Sienna Harvey, the Gems kept on keeping on.
But they just lacked an explosive scorer who could truly get theirs when they needed to — unlike the Americans.
Hall plundered the Aussies for 25 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists, underlining why she is ESPN's top-rated college prospect for the class of 2026, while long and lean Jasmine Davidson provided the perfect foil, punching in 21 points to go with 6 rebounds and 3 dimes.
The Aussie girls will be super proud to collect silver, particularly after their predecessors, in 2023, failed to make it out of the round of 16, giving rise to new hope the gap continues to close in women's basketball.
THE 12 AUSSIE TEENS WHO GAVE TEAM USA AN ALMIGHTY SCARE
4 RUBY PERKINS
dob: November 21, 2007 (17)
State: New South Wales
Height: 172cm
Club/college: California Berkeley (NCAA)
Low down: An elite scoring guard who has developed into a supreme floor general. The key cog in the Gems share-at-all-costs gamestyle who marshalls her teammates with military precision and finds them in perfect positions to maximise their skills. And, if that doesn't work, she'll take you to the cup or hit a three in your face. Battled against the length, athleticism and blitzing of Team USA in the final but the unflappable Perkins will take those learnings and make the necessary adjustments through her obsessive work ethic and drive to be the best.
5 SIENNA HARVEY
dob: January 20, 2006 (19)
State: Victoria
Height: 174cm
Club/college: Washington (NCAA)
Low down: If Deas is Victoria's 1a guard, then Harvey is 1b, the two southern state dynamos having enjoyed a running battle for supremacy throughout their development pathway. Harvey's trickery lies in her proficiency with both hands and off both feet. There's not much to scout for defenders when Harvey is equally adept at going left or right — and a devastating finisher with either hand. Spent the NBL1 South season with Melbourne Tigers and will begin the next step in her basketball journey in the US.
6 BONNIE DEAS
dob: May 18, 2006 (19)
State: Victoria
Height: 178cm
Club/college: Arkansas (NCAA)
Low down: Named in the U19 World Cup All-Star Five, Deas is the do-it-all leader of the Gems who might be the best rebounder at her size in her age group in the country. Spent last season as a development player under Guy Molloy at the Sydney Flames and is committed to Arkansas. Pound-for-pound, one of the toughest players in the country, the Frankston product is simply relentless. A future Opals captain in the making.
7 PRASAYUS NOTOA
dob: August 20, 2007 (17)
State: Queensland
Height: 183cm
Club/college: Logan (NBL1)
Low down: Dominant at nationals level, always thereabouts with junior national teams, Notoa has displayed drastic improvement over the past 18 months. Is she a big rebounding forward? A playmaking tall point guard? A scoring combo guard? It doesn't really matter — she's a damn fine basketball player, tailor made for today's world of position-less hoops. Just give her the rock and let her cook.
8 ZARA RUSSELL
dob: June 23, 2007 (18)
Territory: Australian Capital Territory
Height: 185cm
Club/college: Centre of Excellence
Low down: A mainstay of the junior national team program, Russell's poise, leadership and powerful frame make her a blue chip Opals prospect of the future. Hard not to think of London Olympian and green and gold three-and-D mainstay Rachel Jarry when you watch the ACT product operate. Big, strong, uncompromising and positionally versatile. Coach's dream.
9 MONIQUE BOBONGIE
dob: December 27, 2006 (18)
State: Queensland
Height: 178cm
Experience:
Club/college: Canberra Capitals (WNBL)
Low down: Queensland's back-to-back female athlete of the year in 2023 and 2024, Bobongie is an athlete with maturity well beyond her tender years. At just 17, the young Indigenous starlet carved out a starting role in the WNBL with Canberra last season and will soon jump into pre-season training with the Caps on her return from the Czech Republic. And she's won the admiration of Opals assistant Paul Goriss, who has ordained her a national team lock: 'I see her as being a future Opal and not that far in the future. She most definitely has the attributes. She can handle the ball, she shoots the ball really well and is a smart decision maker with her passing.'
10 EMILIJA DAKIC
dob: February 6, 2007 (18)
State: Victoria
Height: 178cm
Club/college: Florida (NCAA)
Low down: Scoring point guard with great defensive instincts, Dakic can switch on talls and smalls and loves the physical challenge of trying to stop the big units. Heads to the mighty Gators this year as a graduate of the Centre of Excellence after spending time as a training player at WNBL club Southside.
11 MADISON RYAN
dob: March 31, 2009 (16)
State: Victoria
Height: 185cm
Club/college: Sandringham (NBL1)
Low down: The baby of the bunch who doesn't take a back seat. The rangy 16-year -old wing started the Gems' tournament opener and shredded Brazil for 22 points on a wildly efficient 9-11 shooting. The 4-6 from deep in that game is an indicator of the offensive weaponry at the Victorian's command. There will be no rest for Ryan, who will just about go straight into prep for September's FIBA U17 Asia Cup with the Sapphires — led by Tom Garlepp, husband of Gems' coach Renae.
12 SITAYA FAGAN
dob: March 24, 2008 (17)
State: Victoria
Height: 189cm
Club/college: Centre of Excellence
Low down: Highest-potential junior in the country who possesses remarkable physical gifts and a game that is quickly catching up. With the wingspan of an eagle and the speed of a cheetah, it's no wonder the 17-year-old has 18 of the best NCAA college programs fighting each other to secure a commitment from her. Fagan is an excitement machine with the tools to one day be the best basketballer in the country, period.
13 MANUELA PUOCH
dob: October 5, 2006 (18)
State: Victoria
Height: 184cm
Club/college: Southside Flyers (WNBL)
Low down: Little big sister of WNBA draftee Nyadiew Puoch, Manuela is sublimely skilled but still working on her motor and mobility. A powerhouse in the post who eats glass for a living and loves to stretch out to the three-point line where she has no fear launching. An exciting frontline prospect who is skilled beyond her 18 years and will only get better from here.
14 MONIQUE WILLIAMS
dob: August 11, 2006 (18)
State: Western Australia
Height: 190cm
Club/college: Vanderbilt (NCAA)
Low down: WA's only Gems World Cup representative is a tower of strength who has fought back from a shocking Anterior Cruciate Ligament tear, aged just 14. Williams is developing into a stretch big, showing a penchant for a sweet mid-range jumpshot, along with a desire to mix it with the tall timber under the hoop. And her on-court talents are more-than matched by her off-court smarts, the disciplined student graduated with high honours and chose Vanderbilt as much for its basketball program as its academic pursuits.
15 CALLIE HINDER
dob: August 16, 2007 (17)
State: New South Wales
Height: 198cm
Low down: Only recently bobbed up on Australian junior talent radars — owing to the fact she's lived in the USA most of her life as the daughter of former Boomer and Sydney King Russell Hinder, who packed his bags for the US following the end of his playing career. Still shy of her 18th birthday and already standing nearly 200cm, Hinder casts an imposing figure over Australian basketball. With multiple division I NCAA offers to choose from, the shot-blocking machine will hone her craft in the US college system.
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