The Opals will have three debutants in their FIBA Cup team in India later this month, while their legendary player Penny Taylor has joined their coaching panel.
WNBL stars Kelsey Griffin and Lauren Mansfield and Russia-based Alex Bunton are the newcomers to a squad that contains four 2016 Olympians.
American-born forward Griffin has starred for Bendigo for several seasons, as well as playing in the WNBA, point guard Mansfield has performed well for Canberra and Bunton is playing overseas after learning her craft in the WNBL.
"Lauren continues to improve her game with each season and fits our system," Opals head coach Sandy Brondello said.
"Kelsey is a very versatile player and has a high basketball IQ, while Alex has impressed the coaching staff with her mobility and strength at both ends of the floor."
Meanwhile, the Opals' coaching panel has been supplemented by the addition of Taylor and German Olaf Lange.
Taylor played at three Olympics and was part of the 2004 and 2008 silver medal-winning teams and captained the Opals in Rio last year after missing out on London 2012 through injury.
"I couldn't be more thrilled to continue my journey with the Opals," Taylor said.
Brondello described Taylor as one of the most respected Opals of all time.
"She had delivered an incredible legacy as a player and now having been working with me at (WNBA club Phoenix) Mercury as an assistant, she has an intimate knowledge of my system that the players can tap into," Brondello said.
Lange, who is Brondello's husband, is a highly-regarded coach in his own right and spent time in Australia as head coach of former WNBL club Logan Thunder.
Brondello won't attend the tournament in India, because of her commitments to Phoenix, with her assistants to take charge on a rotation basis.
The coaching panel already included 2016-17 WNBL title-winning coach Cheryl Chambers and Paul Goriss.
Australia will play South Korea, Philippines and Japan in the groups stage of the Asia Cup before the tournament heads into the knockout phase.
Opals squad: Tessa Lavey, Alex Bunton, Lauren Mansfield, Madeleine Garrick, Stephanie Blicavs, Kelsey Griffin, Katie Ebzery, Laura Hodges, Belinda Snell, Abby Bishop, Marianna Tolo, Sara Blicavs.
Share
