Deluge of gold could hurt game overall
AUSTRALIA’S domination may have delivered basketball gold on the Gold Coast but it may prove to be the death knell for the sport at Commonwealth Games level.
Few Games gold medals would have been greeted by shorter odds than basketball, even with the Boomers and Opals sending out line-ups missing a host of big names.
The only time either team was challenged throughout the tournament was when the men met New Zealand in pool play, the Kiwis taking a lead into the final quarter.
Australia prevailed but there was genuine hope of a contest for gold on the final day of the Games.
Those plans were scuttled by the Canadians, Mamadou Gueye’s hail mary threepointer denying the Tall Blacks a berth in the decider.
There was no repeat miracle for Canada, Australia running out comfortable 40-point winners to back-up the 2006 gold they won the only other time basketball was in the Games.
The Opals, paced by superstar centre Liz Cambage, were never challenged. Even when she was tossed from the gold medal match against England, it had little impact on Australia’s performance as they cruised to a 99-55 win.
But this tournament was about bigger picture for Australia’s women, who will face far stiffer competition in September’s World Cup in Spain.
Basketball in the traditional format will not feature at the 2022 Games in Birmingham, organisers instead going with 3x3 basketball in a bid to appeal to a younger generation.