DOWN TO THE WIRE
SUPERCATS FACE TOUGH TASK AS POWERHOUSES COLLIDE
FRIENDSHIPS made at Australia’s Opals camp in Phoenix will be put to one side when the NBL1’s powerhouse sides Geelong and Bendigo clash in Sunday’s women’s preliminary final.
The Braves claimed the minor premiership but lost in a qualifying final, forcing them to back up last Sunday in a semi-final to progress to a preliminary final in Geelong.
The Supercats last week welcomed back their Australian contingent of Zitina Aokuso, Sara Blicavs and Ezi Magbegor with open arms, as Geelong claimed an easy scalp and direct passage to the penultimate week of finals.
Aokuso said she loved being part of the Opals camp before next month’s 2019 FIBA World Cup in India.
“It was really fun. It was a really good experience to be training with all the big girls, Sara and Ezi, it was really fun,” she said.
“This was my second Opals camp — I was in the Gold Coast camp, that was fun, too, it was tough but there was a lot of learning.
“They do work us really hard but everyone in the team buys into it, which makes it fun.”
But friendships made with Braves stars Tess Magden and Tessa Lavey will be put to the test, with both clubs aiming to be part of the NBL1’s inaugural championship game.
“Off the court, we’ll be all laughs, but on the court we’re going to try to destroy them,” Aokuso said. “We’ll work as hard as we can.
“I reckon they’ll be tough. They’ve got some big girls — (Rebecca) Tobin and (Gabrielle) Richards, and (Tessa) Lavey, girls we went to camp with — but I reckon it will be a good match-up. But hopefully we can come away with the win.”
Aokuso, 20, who is still chasing an Opals debut, said her move to Geelong this season — which was rewarded with short-listing for the NBL1 women’s MVP — had “been amazing”.
Blicavs and Magbegor also represent the Supercats in the top 20 and Aokuso said either of her teammates could claim the league gong.
“I think Sara and Ezi have a really good chance, but I reckon it would be tough (all being on the same team) if it was between us three,” she said.
“It was pretty good to get all three Geelong girls in it. It would have been cooler to get more, but it’s pretty cool.
“But I think one of those girls will get it.”
Aokuso said a title victory would be just rewards for a near-perfect season.
“It would mean a lot; to go down in history as the first NBL1 team to win it all and to be a part of that would be crazy cool,” she said.
“We’ve got a really good group of girls, we really buy into what we’re about.”
OFF THE COURT, WE’LL BE ALL LAUGHS, BUT ON THE COURT WE’RE GOING TO TRY AND DESTROY THEM.” ZITINA AOKUSO