Brondello ‘believes’ Opals can beat U.S.

Liberty coach primed for semifinal against Americans

August 8, 2024 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello will lead her native Team Australia against the reigning Olympic seven-time champion Americans on Friday. AP Photo by Mark J. Terrill

Liberty coach Sandy Brondello will lead her native Team Australia against the reigning Olympic seven-time champion Americans on Friday. Photo: Mark J. Terrill/AP

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Just last week, New York Liberty coach Sandy Brondello was wondering whether her native Team, Australia, would even qualify for the knockout round of the women’s basketball tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Now, she’s suddenly dreaming of leading the Opals to the top of the podium.

But first, the Aussies will have to prove they can beat Team USA, which hasn’t lost a game in Olympic competition since the 1992 Barcelona Games.

And then there’s the matter of two of Brondello’s best players in New York, reigning WNBA Most Valuable Player Breanna Stewart and All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu, on the opposing side.

“They’re humans, they’re basketball players,” Brondello insisted, still basking in the glow of Wednesday’s 85-67 quarterfinal victory over Serbia, which thrust the Opals into Friday’s semifinal against the U.S.

“Anything can happen,” she added. “You’ve got to believe it. It’s got to be a positive mindset.”

The mindset has been nothing but positive for Team Australia since it suffered a potentially devastating opening-game loss to Nigeria on July 29 that put the Opals in desperation mode from the jump.

Brondello’s veteran squad, laden with former and current WNBA players, rallied to edge Canada before holding off host France on Sunday to set up its showdown with Serbia.

Alanna Smith scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Jade Melbourne and Cayla George added 18 points apiece as Australia put itself in position to grab its first Olympic medal in women’s basketball since 2012.

Even with a loss to the U.S. dynasty, which has roared through 59 consecutive opponents and won eight straight gold medals, the Aussies will have a chance to claim at least a bronze medal on Sunday.

However, Brondello isn’t interested in settling for anything less than a win against Stewart, Ionescu and the rest of Team USA.

“Most of us play in the WNBA. We face these players day-in, day-out,” she noted of her Opals. “On any given day, you can come out. You can beat them.”

That hasn’t proven true in a long time, as evidenced by Team Nigeria’s Cinderella-like run through the tournament coming to a crashing halt Wednesday in Paris.

A’ja Wilson put up 20 points and pulled down 10 boards, and Jackie Young, starting in place of six-time Olympic veteran Diana Taurasi, added 15 points to help the Americans roll to an 88-74 win in front of 12,437 fans at Bercy Arena.

New York forward Breanna Stewart blocked Nigeria’s path to the semifinals and will now take on Team Australia in Friday’s Olympic semifinal in Paris. AP Photo by Mark J. Terrill

The first African nation to advance to the knockout round in any Olympic competition, Team Nigeria enjoyed its run, which started with a stunning win over Australia and culminated in a loss to the U.S. in Paris.

“It’s been everything. It’s a movement man for Nigeria and for Africa,” Nigeria coach Rena Wakama told the Associated Press.

“And I hope the world can see what we’re capable of doing if we invest in ourselves, invest in the youth in Africa, invest in sports we’re capable of being at the highest level.”

Stewart, seeking her third gold medal, had 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, a steal and two blocked shots against the Nigerians but quickly shifted her focus to the Australians following the game.

“I think Australia’s really going to try to get us to take the shots we don’t want to take, try to pressure us, try to make us play a little too fast,” she told ESPN.

Ionescu, competing in her first Olympiad, only managed two points in six minutes off the bench in the quarterfinal.

She may be eager to show off her 3-point acumen when she matches up with Brondello’s Opals Friday.

But her WNBA coach remained steadfast that the Aussies will have to be dealt with come tip-off at 11:30 a.m ET.

“They’re a great team. We know that. They have to stop us as well,” Brondello said.

***

Liberty center Nyara Sabally, who missed Team Germany’s previous two group-stage games while in concussion protocol, came back in full force for Wednesday’s quarterfinal against France.

Sabally posted team highs of 20 points and 13 rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench, but the host nation advanced with an 84-71 victory.

France will meet Belgium in Friday’s other semifinal at 3:30 p.m. ET.