The Australian basketball teams, the Opals and the Boomers, will showcase an exceptional mix of experience and young talent, with twelve athletes making their Olympic debut in talent.
Overview
The Australian Olympic basketball teams, the Boomers and the Opals, are made up of twelve men and twelve women respectively. Of the 24 representing Australia in Tokyo, two athletes will make their fourth Olympic appearance, three athletes will make their third Olympic appearance, seven athletes will make their second Olympic appearance and twelve athletes will make their Olympic debut.
In Tokyo, the Opals are aiming to add to their rich Olympic legacy, with three Olympic silver and two bronze medals from Atlanta 1996 to London 2012. The team, ranked number two in the world, has been drawn in Pool C, with pool matches against Belgium, Puerto Rico and China tipping off on 27 July in Saitama Super Arena.
While the Boomers will launch their Tokyo campaign for their first Olympic medal against Nigeria on July 25th.
Basketball Team
Ones To Watch
Men
- Australia's Flag Bearer for Tokyo 2020, Patty Mills is entering his fourth consecutive Olympic campaign and will be a pivotal piece for the Men's Team vying for their first-ever medal at an Olympic Games. In the Boomers' first Olympic warm-up game against Argentina this afternoon, Mills hit a buzzer-beating three to give his side the win.
- Tokyo 2020 will be 24-year-old Matisse Thybulle's first time ever wearing Australian colours. The Philadelphia 76er brings to the Boomers a new wave of athleticism and length that will open a new dimension of play for Australia both in transition and in the halfcourt defence. May become a critical figure against hyperathletic teams like the USA and Nigeria where being able to generate quick, easy offence will be crucial.
Women
- Jenna O'Hea is the captain of the Opals and will be entrusted with leading her side through what is typically a gruelling Olympic tournament. O'Hea is a strong two-way player who can contribute at either end of the court, and is obviously a strong leader who can inspire her teammates. She was part of the 2018 Commonwealth Games squad that won gold, and the 2018 World Championships squad that won silver.
The Format
Basketball is played by two teams of five players, with each team looking to score by throwing the ball into a basket. The game is played over four ten-minute rounds and is characterised by non-stop action, with players running up and down the court trying to steal the ball and get it into the other team's net. The winner is the team with the most points at the end of the game.
At the Olympics, twelve teams split up into three groups for the round-robin Group Phase. The teams placed first and second in each group, and the two best third-placed teams in the Group Phase qualify for the Final Phase.
The USA dominates in both men’s and women’s basketball. With the exception of a bronze medal finish in Athens 2004 on the men’s side, the USA have won Olympic gold medals in both men’s and women’s since Atlanta 1996.
What's The Story?
Patty Mills and Joe Ingles will make their fourth Olympic Games in Tokyo, while Jenna O’Hea will be representing Australia at their third Olympic Games.
The men’s team is coming into Tokyo with a strong chance of achieving their best Olympic performance to date. During the Tokyo Olympic warm-up series, the Boomers won their match against No.1 ranked team USA - this was just the second time in history that Australia has beaten the star-studded USA team.
Competition Details
The Boomers
- 25th July Australia vs. Nigeria
- 28th July Australia vs. Italy
- 31st July Australia vs. Germany
- 3rd August Quarterfinal
- 5th August Semifinal
- 7th August Gold & Bronze medal game
The Opals
- 27th July Australia vs. Belgium
- 30th July Australia vs. China
- 2nd August Australia vs Puerto Rico
- 4th August Quarterfinal
- 6th August Semifinal
- 7th August Bronze Medal Game
- 8th August Gold Medal Game
#HaveAGo at Basketball
Basketball
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