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Rio Olympics 2016: Opals survive scare against Belarus

Point guard Leilani Mitchell scored eight points in the win over Belarus.

Point guard Leilani Mitchell scored eight points in the win over Belarus. Photo: Getty

Australia’s winning run in the women’s basketball competition at the 2016 Olympic Games continued on Sunday (AEST) with a 74-66 triumph over Belarus.

With the Opals’ progression to the quarter-finals already confirmed, coach Brendan Joyce used the opportunity to give minutes to all 12 of his players.

Rotation was the theme of the match but an upset looked on the cards when Belarus led 52-39 with just four-and-a-half minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Liz Cambage stepped up when it mattered, though, finishing with 17 points and nine rebounds, as Australia booked a last-eight showdown with Serbia.

Of her points, seven came in the final quarter, while fellow star Penny Taylor added 11 and five rebounds.

“Our bench did a real good job and that was the difference,” Joyce said after the match.

“I really wasn’t happy with our defensive intensity and I thought Rachel Jarry and, in particular, Katie Rae Ebzery and Tessa Lavey, the really locked in defensively and created some opportunities for us.”

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The match was a physical affair. Photo: Getty

A sluggish start from Australia – who came from behind to defeat to Japan in their previous match – saw Belarus led 25-22 at the first change.

The second quarter followed the same script, too, and Australia needed a Rachel Jarry three-pointer to bring them within three points at the main break.

Yelena Leuchanka (15 points, seven rebounds) and Lindsey Harding (16 points, six rebounds) stepped up in the third quarter for Belarus as Australia started to get worried.

But the Opals managed to close the margin to seven at the final change before they upped their defence.

In the last quarter, Belarus made just three of 16 field goal attempts, as the Opals scored 16 of the first 19 points.

Tessa Lavey’s three-pointer to give the Opals a six-point lead killed off Belarus’ chances of an unlikely victory as Australia finished on top of Group A with 10 points from five matches.

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Brendan Joyce knows his side have things to work on. Photo: Getty

Ahead of the Serbia clash, Joyce added: “We’ve just achieved one goal. Our goal was to finish first in the pool.

“The next goal now is to win the next game.

“We’ve finished first and put ourselves in the best position possible to play against the fourth-placed team and if we go out and do what we’ve got to do we’ll be okay.

“We know Serbia is a good team but we’ve done the work to be where we are so if we go out with a focus and high effort levels we’ll be okay and then we’ll move on to the next opponent.”

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