O'Hea, Magbegor proud to beat odds and make Opals side

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O'Hea, Magbegor proud to beat odds and make Opals side

By Roy Ward

A year ago Ezi Magbegor was playing for Australia’s under-19 side and Jenna O’Hea was wondering if she had a future in the international game.

But the 19-year-old centre and 31-year-old guard have been named in the Opals side for next month’s FIBA Women’s World Cup in Spain.

New coach Sandy Brondello has called up the players she thinks can do the best job and the Melbourne Boomers duo have been ticking all the boxes.

Star centre Liz Cambage headlines the Opals side along with fellow WNBA players Stephanie Talbot, Leilani Mitchell, Cayla George and Rebecca Allen while Magbegor and 21-year-old Stanford University forward Alanna Smith earned their places at training camp despite their youth.

 Ezi Magbegor pulls down a rebound for the Australian under-19 side at last year's World Cup.

Ezi Magbegor pulls down a rebound for the Australian under-19 side at last year's World Cup. Credit: FIBA.basketball

Talbot, Mitchell and Brondello are all in the WNBA playoffs with Phoenix Mercury but will link up with the Opals once their US commitments conclude.

Magbegor led Australia’s under-17 side to a gold medal in 2016 but didn’t envision her senior international career would appear so quickly, but she has held her own at the Commonwealth Games before continuing to impress on tour in China and at the selection camp recently.

“There were a lot of talented bigs at the camp and I knew I had to go in, compete and do everything I could to be selected and at the same time you know Liz will be a big part of the side,” Magbegor said.

“So to find out I was on the team was unreal and it means everything to me, whenever you put on the green and gold jersey it is special and to do so at a young age, I didn’t expect it.”

O’Hea, who hadn’t played for the Opals since the London Olympics before this year, admits she thought her international career was over when she came back to the Boomers before the last WNBL season.

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But her outstanding form and leadership steered the Boomers to the grand final series and Brondello took notice taking her to the Commonwealth Games and on the recent China tour.

O’Hea hasn’t played at a World Cup since the 2010 tournament in the Czech Republic.

“It has been a long time between worlds,” O’Hea said.

The Boomers have the most players in this squad with O'Hea, Magbegor, George and Talbot signed for this season and Cambage starring last campaign although she plans to play in China this summer.

“To be honest, I didn’t think I had a future with the Opals,” O’Hea said.

“I’m so thankful for Sandy and that she believed in me, it was a bit of a surprise as I didn’t know what to expect.

“After the London Olympics I thought I would have a long international career and it didn’t turn out how I thought it would - everything that has happened this year has been a big thrill.”

Centre Alex Bunton and guard Tess Madgen have both overcome injuries to earn their way into the Opals side while young guard Lauren Mansfield and Smith turned strong form at last year’s Asia Cup into places in this year’s side.

“I’m just stoked to be back in the mix," O'Hea said.

"While it has been a long time since I’ve been there, there is nothing like representing your country, especially at a major tournament.

“I’m absolutely a veteran player and in more of a leadership role. We haven’t had Sandy on our tour so I was trying to be a coach on the court as much as I could.”

O’Hea had doubts she would be considered but her coach kept a keen eye on the WNBL last summer and would have noticed how much of an impact O’Hea was having.

Opals assistant coaches Cheryl Chambers, Paul Goriss and Chris Lucas [all proven WNBL coaches] have led the side in their selection camp with Brondello watching online from the US and calling the coaches with her feedback.

“I thought we would have this godly voice yelling out at us,” O’Hea said.

“But Sandy would just call the coaches and they would yell at us for her.

“I think the team will come together well, the girls in the WNBA are playing against the best in the world and those of us at home are working hard every day and can’t wait to get going.”

The Opals leave on September 4 to play lead-up games in Europe before the World Cup tips off on September 22 with Fox Sports showing games live.

Opals schedule for FIBA Women's World Cup [times AEST]: September 22: Opals v Nigeria, 8.30pm, September 23: Opals v Argentina, 8pm, September 25: Opals v Turkey, 8.30pm, September 26: Knockout round, September 28: Quarterfinals, September 29: Semifinals, September 30: Medal games.

Australian Opals: Rebecca Allen, Alex Bunton, Liz Cambage, Katie-Rae Ebzery, Cayla George, Tess Madgen, Ezi Magbegor, Lauren Mansfield, Leilani Mitchell, Jenna O’Hea, Alanna Smith, Stephanie Talbot.

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