The Opals celebrate defeating China in their basketball game at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. © Phil Walter/Getty Images

TIME FOR A GOLDEN SLAM

The Australia’s women’s basketball team, better known as the Opals, have won silver medals at the last three consecutive Games and will be looking to go one better and grab gold in London. With Lauren Jackson rated one of the top players in the world and budding WNBA star Liz Cambage leading the charge, the team looks primed to take it to the world’s best. In a bid to give them that extra edge the Opals have, for the first time ever, committed to training camps in 2011 and 2012 that will see them have valuable time on-court together, a rarity with demanding international careers. This could be the year that the Opals knock off their historic rivals, USA. In the men’s competition, the Boomers are a team with increasing depth and are proving to be a growing contender for the London 2012 medal dais in what is becoming a more competitive event. Despite star player Andrew Bogut needing ankle surgery that has ruled him out of the Olympics, international campaigners Patty Mills, Matthew Nielsen and David Anderson will look to show the world that the Boomers are a force to be reckoned with in London.

In the men’s competition, the Boomers are a team with increasing depth and are proving to be a growing contender for the London 2012 medal dais. With star players such as Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills and Matthew Nielsen in the ranks, the Boomers will be looking to show the world they are a force to be reckoned with in London.


BASKETBALL FORMAT

There are 12 teams in both men’s and women’s Olympic tournaments. The teams are grouped into two pools of six, with an even spread of top seeded teams. The top four teams in each pool following the preliminary games progress to the quarter-finals where the elimination format begins.

Each team consists of 12 players, with five players per team on the court at any one time. Olympic basketball matches consist of two 20-minute halves. If the score is tied at the end of 40 minutes of play, a five-minute overtime period is played. Further overtime periods are played until the deadlock is broken.


QUALIFICATION AND SELECTION

Only 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams are eligible to compete in the 2012 Olympic basketball competition. Australia has qualified in both the men's and women's competition by virtue of beating New Zealand in the FIBA Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament in September, 2011.

For all of the Nomination and Selection documentation click here>>>

 

AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC HISTORY

The Australian women have been winning medals since their bronze medal breakthrough at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. In Sydney, Athens and Beijing the Australian women won silver medals, losing to the United States on all three occasions. Also accustomed to tradition, the Australian men have placed fourth on three occasions in 1988, 1992 and 2000. In Beijing the men’s team reached the quarterfinals, finishing seventh.
 
To read more about the history of Australia and basketball at the Olympics click here>>>