Sixteen points, and a limp
Australia won their Women’s World Cup opener 70-54 against Puerto Rico this morning in Berlin. The number that will occupy them tonight is not on the scoreboard.
Alanna Smith had 10 points and eight rebounds in twelve minutes of court time. Twelve minutes. Then she went down with a lower leg problem, and the Opals arrived in Germany with a medal in mind and no spare part for her role.
Steph Talbot handled the rest. Nineteen points, 3 of 3 inside the arc, 4 of 6 from behind it, the most efficient player on the floor at the Max-Schmeling-Halle.
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Puerto Rico made them work
The margin flatters Australia. They led 19-11 after a quarter and 31-24 at the break, numbers that suggest control without much comfort. Puerto Rico then opened the third period on a 12-6 run and cut the gap to a single point.
Talbot answered with four buckets late in that quarter and Australia went into the final ten minutes 13 clear. Arella Guirantes led Puerto Rico with 14 points, Trinity San Antonio and Imani McGee added 11 each.
Some context for how close this actually was. Australia had beaten Puerto Rico twice at this level and never by fewer than 26 points, 96-69 at Tokyo 2020 and 100-74 at the Olympic qualifier in Bourges in February 2020. The world number 13 side lost by 16 this time and spent a stretch of the second half genuinely threatening.
Group C from here
Two points are two points in a group phase that gets settled on small margins, and Australia have them. What they do not have is clarity on Smith.
Berlin hosts the entire tournament until 13 September, 36 games across two arenas, and the Opals built their medal case around a fit frontline. The next few days of scan results will say more about this campaign than the 70-54 did.
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