JAPAN ended its Australian women’s basketball tour on a high by stealing the show from the Opals in Ballarat on Friday night.
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The tourists fended off an off-the-boil Opals 76-75 as the game went down to the final buzzer.
Steph Talbot had an opportunity to win the game for Australia right on time after Japan had taken the lead with 1.4 seconds remaining, but she missed a lay-up from under the basket.
Close to a sell-out crowd at the Minerdome had erupted when guard Tess Madgen made a three-pointer with 17 seconds left to put the Opals ahead by a point.
As they did all night though, a speedy Japan replied with what proved to be the winner.
Australia went into the game having secured the three-game series with wins at Dandenong and Frankston earlier in the week, but it was obvious from the outset that Japan was determined to deny the host nation a clean sweep.
Opals coach Brendan Joyce said his players appeared flat, with the performance lacking continuity in execution. He said their attitude had not been right on game day
Joyce said the loss was a reminder to his players that they had to bring their best to every game.
While disappointed to lose, Joyce said there had been plenty of positives ahead of Australia’s two-game Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games qualifying series against New Zealand on August 15 and 17.
He pointed to the comeback in the third quarter after Japan had led by 10 points. Australia fought back to be within two points at the last break.
Joyce said he had used the game to give younger members of his squad important court time. He said he could have given the likes of Rachel Jarry more game time, but it was important to rotate all players and see what they were capable of in pressure situations.