Family first for Jackson
Job done for Opals great
Lauren Jackson had always planned to retire from international basketball after helping the Opals reach another Olympic campaign because her family is the priority as she moves into the next stage of her life.
After helping Australia cement a spot in the Olympic qualifiers in Brazil, she now intends to focus on her two sons. Her eldest, Harry, starts school this year and she wants to be present during that crucial stage.
It’s also understood Jackson, 42, is aware that her ageing body may not be up to the rigours of the Paris Games. It means the girl from Albury, NSW, will finish as a fourtime Olympian who collected three silver medals and a bronze.
Jackson, who will end the WNBL season with the Southside Flyers, also excelled at world championships, at which she won a historic gold medal in 2006.
Opals legend Michele Timms said she was disappointed Jackson would not play at the Olympics but understood and respected her choice.
“It was a big decision for her to go to these Games,” she said.
“I know she had spoken about how hard it is on social media. Her son is starting school this year, so it’s a big sacrifice to go and play for Australia.”
With the goal of Olympic qualification achieved, Jackson watched as the next generation of Opals beat Serbia in a dead rubber that conjured up an unlikely thriller.
Opals players had been dealing with a gastro bug that swept through the camp but put that aside to sweep their three qualifiers, including a 75-73 win over Serbia on Monday.
Veteran Tess Madgen joined Jackson on the bench as coach Sandy Brondello unleashed the kids. Isobel Borlase, 19, joined the starting line-up and Jade Melbourne, 21, aided her in guiding the Opals.
Fighting for its Olympic life, Serbia threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Aussies. However, Seattle Storm WNBA guard Melbourne came up huge in the clutch with three lastquarter buckets and the game-clinching free throws that should stamp her ticket to Paris. Borlase also drained two free throws with 38 seconds left in the final quarter for her 11th and 12th points of the night that would ultimately be crucial in the 75-73 win.
Serbia’s Angela Dugalic sent a scare through the Opals when the 22-year-old connected with a Hail Mary heave from near half-court to cut the margin to one with 0.2 seconds remaining to reduce the final margin to two.
But Melbourne was fouled and stepped up to the line. She iced the first and then deliberately missed the second to ensure Serbia had no hope of a game winner.