Boomers stars included in Opals squad for Asia Cup

Deakin Melbourne Boomers star Cayla George insists the Americans will be beatable at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

 The 30-year-old centre was named in the Australian Opals squad to compete in the Asia Cup in India next month (September 24-29) 

The Opals were defeated by the US in the FIBA World Cup gold medal match in 2018, but George says that experience will drive the team on as they look to build momentum in an Olympic season.

“The Americans are always going to be favourites going into an Olympics, I think that’s just realistic to say that, but they’re beatable,” she said.

“I think we needed just one extra day to recoup before that World Cup final, a lot of us hadn’t slept after an emotional semi-final and it was a tough game to come into without the right level of recovery.

“The US are great side; you have to be at your best, and we weren’t for that final.”

Boomers own Ezi Magbegor also joins George in the 2019 Opals Squad who will be in Group B for the Asia Cup, alongside seventh-ranked China, as well as New Zealand and the Philippines.

The Asia Cup will also be a chance for the team to prepare for their Olympic campaign, with the qualifying stages beginning this November.

The Boomers take on China in a pre-season friendly on September 10 at Casey Stadium, before kicking off their WNBL campaign with a Victorian double header against Bendigo in October.

“I’m really looking forward to the new WNBL season, we’ve got a few new faces and I think the culture Guy Molloy is trying to create is great and hopefully that translates into success,” added George.

The Boomers welcome four new players to their team for the 2019/20 season. Including Penina Davidson, Stella Beck, Toni Farnworth and WNBL newcomer Sophie Cunningham, who was the highest-drafted University of Missouri player in WNBA history. 

Purchase tickets to the Boomers pre-season match against China here.