AUS/TPE - Opals topple Chinese Taipei

SYDNEY (Friendly Games) - The Australian Defence Force Opals have convincingly won the opening match of a three game series against Chinese Taipei on the NSW Central Coast, 100-57.

Olympian Natalie Porter top scored for Australia with 20 points and received solid support from World Champion Opals Emma Randall (19 points, 7 rebounds) and Hollie Grima (18 points, 7 rebounds).

Adelaide's Erin Phillips won the battle of the Australian point guards with 9 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds in 22 minutes on court.

"It was a very pleasing result," Opals head coach Jan Stirling said.

"We were able to get everyone out there and they all played well in patches, so there were certainly signs of improvement.

"We lacked a little bit of consistency and that's what we will work on in the next two games."

Randall, Porter, Rohanee Cox, Jenni Screen and Alicia Poto started for Australia and it was Porter that opened the scoring on an offensive put-back. She had 11 points at the first break when the Opals led 31-10.

Chinese Taipei played with greater determination in the second period and hit some trademark 3-pointers to keep the game alive but when Randall knocked down a buzzer-beater for her fifteenth point to end the half the Opals were ahead by twenty-five, 54-29.

Hollie Grima came alive after the break and added 11 points for the quarter and despite increased pressure from the visitors the Opals were in command with one period remaining, 74-43.

Jenni Screen opened the final quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers for Australia and the Opals were never threatened down the stretch as they took victory by 43 points.

Australia dominated the rebound count 40-16 and reduced their recent high turnover trend to record just nine to Chinese Taipei's 16.

Australia was the superior shooting team, connecting on 59 per cent of field goals (37-63) and 61 per cent of three-pointers (11-18) to Chinese Taipei's 41 per cent (22-54) and 33 per cent (6-18).

Feng-Chun Chiang top scored for Chinese Taipei with 15 points.

The second match of the series takes place at Bridgecoast Stadium in Terrigal on Friday at 7:00pm.

Quarter by quarter:
1: AUS 31 TPE 10
H: AUS 54 TPE 29 (23-19)
3: AUS 74 TPE 43 (20-14)
F: AUS 100 TPE 57 (26-14)

AUSTRALIA 100 - Natalie Porter 20, Emma Randall 19, Hollie Grima 18 bt
CHINESE TAIPEI 57 - Feng-Chun Chiang 15, Chi Wen 12, Hui-Yun Cheng 8
at Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal

Basketball Australia