Opals ready for Tall Ferns test

CANBERRA (2015 FIBA Oceania Women's Championship) - There will not be many surprises for Australia when they go up against New Zealand in the FIBA Oceania Women's Championship.

The winner of the two-game series, which starts on Saturday in Melbourne and finishes in Tauranga on 17 August, will clinch a place in the Rio de Janeiro Games.

The loser will enter the 2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

"We're pretty familiar with lot of their girls because four or five of them have played in the WNBL, some have played SEABL and from our last Oceania series there’s quite a few of them still there," Australia coach Brendan Joyce said.

Australia will be favored to win both games, despite missing a host of players that featured in the third-place team at last year's FIBA Women's World Championship.

They have had a very good build-up to the series, which included a European tour earlier this summer and also a home series against Japan.

The New Zealanders were just swept on home soil by Japan in three games.

Joyce says his players will try to take the Tall Ferns out of their comfort zone.

"Strategically, different teams run different things but it’s a matter of trying to take away their strengths and attack their weaknesses," he said.

Sara Blicavs, 22, has made her mark already with the Opals this summer.

Making the squad was a huge achievement and she is eager to now be a contributor to two victories over the Tall Ferns.

"I'm just ecstatic to be here," she said.

Joyce is glad to have his final squad and just focusing on the games that are coming up.

The selection process is always difficult.

"I think everybody is a little more relaxed," he said.

FIBA