Battle of the Blicavs' siblings in Melb

Opals basketballer Sara Blicavs and her AFL-playing brother Mark will be battling different wars on Saturday but their parents will only be barracking one.

Parents don't like to pick favourites, but Sara Blicavs' will have to on Saturday.

The Australian basketballer is playing in the first of the Opals' two Rio Olympic qualifying games against New Zealand at a packed Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

Five hundred metres down the road, her brother Mark will be battling Hawthorn in Geelong's AFL crunch clash at the MCG.

"My parents have committed to me - although mum said straight after the game she's going to go and watch Mark play," the effervescent Blicavs told AAP.

"But that's all I've got because the rest of my family and friends are playing that night, whether it's basketball or football, so I've just got the two supporters with me."

Mum and dad, Andris and Karen, were star basketballers themselves and both represented Australia.

Andris played with the national men's team in 1970s, including the 1976 Montreal Olympics, while Karen (nee Ogden) suited up for the Opals in the 1980s.

Mark himself is an extraordinary athlete.

He stopped playing footy at the age of 14 to focus on athletics - steeplechasing, specifically - with the 2012 London Olympics the target.

Instead that year, he got drafted by the Cats on the recommendation of his junior AFL coach.

He is now in their top 22, can play any number of positions, and has the best aerobic capacity in the league.

"He's been really good," said Sara, adding that her other brother Kris, a basketballer with the Ballarat Miners, had also been helpful.

"They dish out little pieces of advice - whether I want to hear it or not.

"Mark thinks he can play basketball better than me. I would come home sometimes and he'd be like `how come you didn't shoot three-pointers then and why didn't you do this or that?'

"And I'm like `Mark, you're not the coach! Stop talking!

"But, nah, they've been great. Both my brothers and parents are so supportive and very helpful, but they also know when to keep their mouths closed."

The 22-year-old only made her Opals debut in May on tour in Europe after solid SEABL and WNBL seasons.

She had no expectation of playing in green and gold this year, but believes was better served because of that.

"I've had no pressure on myself and I'm more relaxed out there," she said.

"I'm ecstatic to be here, the hype in Melbourne is awesome.

"I know that I'm going to be nervous and that probably when I first get the ball in my hands I'm going to fumble it ... but if they're playing good music, then I'll be relaxed and have a bit of a dance."


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Source: AAP


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