Aussies set to kick off FIBA campaign against France
THE 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup is just around the corner, with the first match scheduled to begin tomorrow morning.
The competition has been split into two groups, with six teams in each. The fixture will see six days of action, before the quarter finals kick off and the best sides begin their finals campaign.
Each side will play five games before the quarter finals kick off, before the top four nations from each group advance to the last hurdle.
Kicking off the fixture will be a matchup between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Puerto Rico tomorrow morning, before another five matches take place on the same day.
The Australian Opals kick off their campaign tomorrow night when they face off against the French in what should be an enthralling contest.
Australia automatically qualified being the host nation and boast an impressive list coming in. Perhaps the biggest story of the tournament is the completion of Lauren Jackson‘s remarkable comeback.
After a dominant campaign in the NBL1 East, Jackson has earned another appearance in an Opals jersey, and at 41 years of age, could be a gold medalist once again.
The United States also qualified for the tournament in unconventional fashion, as they made the cut due to the fact that they were the Olympic basketball champions. They are ranked number one in FIBA’s world rankings, and should be the side to beat again as they search for their 11th title.
They have an extremely talented roster, but are missing a fair chunk of their gold-medal squad from the Olympics, so they are far from unbeatable.
The qualifying tournament took place in Feburary, deciding the final participants for the next 10 days.
Canada, Belgium, France, China, Japan, and Serbia are all top 10 in FIBA’s rankings, so there will be some enthralling battles.
China is bringing a reasonably youthful side, and will be led by Yueru Li, who has had a breakout year of sorts. They are always among the top sides, and that trend should continue in Sydney.
The winner of the World Cup will also automatically qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics, which adds even more incentive.
Group A
Belgium
China
Bosnia/Herzegovina
Puerto Rico
Korea
USA
Group B
France
Serbia
Japan
Mali
Canada
Australia
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