The Seven Consulting Opals fell short against Japan 96 – 85 in Game One of the Mitsui Fudosan Cup in Sapporo.
Japan threatened to blow the game open at moments – but the Opals held firm and challenged the host team to finish.
Amy Atwell made her presence felt on return to national duties with 21 points, 5 – 7 from three point range. Keely Froling stood tall in a crucial period of the third was an essential part of a spirited comeback for the Opals. Froling finished with nine points – nine rebounds.
Marianna Tolo returned to the green and gold with 11 points, six assists and Steph Reid played the role of distributor with 7 assists.
Game Two of the series tips off tomorrow at Hokkaido Sports Center at 8:00pm AEST
Opals v Japan |Sapporo, Hokkaido – Japan
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |
| AUS | 19 | 41 | 64 | 85 |
| JPN | 22 | 52 | 69 | 96 |
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | BLK | STL |
| Cayla George* | 18:16 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Lauren Nicholson* | 18:11 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Marianna Tolo * | 26:25 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Alice Kunek* | 16:49 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Shyla Heal * | 14:08 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Isobel Borlase | 13:36 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stephanie Reid | 20:30 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
| Maddy Rocci | 20:58 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Amy Atwell | 17:54 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Keely Froling | 21:44 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Lauren Scherf | 11:29 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
The Opals finished a quick-fire series in Japan with a 95 – 87 loss in Game Two of the Mitsui Fudosan Center at Hokkaido Sports Center.
Marianna Tolo was awarded Most Impressive Player for the series – which was supported with a 20 point, seven rebound game in Game Two.
Interim Head Coach Cheryl Chambers, standing in for Sandy Brondello, mixed up the minutes and starters.
Tolo & Cayla George (13 PTS, 5 REB) remained as the tall stocks, Steph Reid (5 AST) as the primary guard and Izzy Borlase (10 PTS – 5 AST) and Maddy Rocci (8PTS – 2 AST) came into the starting five.
Keely Froling rounded out a solid series with 12 points, eight rebounds. Sharpshooter Amy Atwell cooled off from Game One but played consistent minutes.
Next up on the calendar is the Ford BALLIN’24 Melbourne series on home soil in July.
Opals v Japan |Sapporo, Hokkaido – Japan
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |
| AUS | 19 | 43 | 68 | 87 |
| JPN | 27 | 50 | 76 | 95 |
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | BLK | STL |
| Cayla George* | 23:15 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Lauren Nicholson | 17:02 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Marianna Tolo * | 23:52 | 20 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Alice Kunek* | 10:05 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shyla Heal | 8:23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isobel Borlase * | 24:16 | Ten | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Stephanie Reid * | 28:58 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Maddy Rocci * | 20:27 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Amy Atwell | 16:54 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Keely Froling | 17:05 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Lauren Scherf | 9:43 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* Starters