Basketball On The Internet.

WITH a personal performance as good as any produced for Australia, Ezi Magbegor tonight stamped herself among our women's basketball all-time Olympic greats with a 30-point, 13-rebound tour de force that drove the Opals to an 85-81 Bronze Medal victory over Belgium.

Magbegor played with controlled but relentless aggression, poise and confidence, ensuring the Opals would be on the Olympic medal podium for the first time since London in 2012.

Her 30 points - the most by an Opal since Lauren Jackson shot 30 against Canada at the 2022 FIBA World Cup Bronze Medal playoff - were delivered at 71 per cent as she also dished three assists, stole the ball twice and blocked three shots.

Easily the best game of her career, Magbegor had plenty of frontcourt help from Alanna Smith who was active for 13 points, 12 rebounds and three assists.

"Ezi's an amazing player," national coach Sandy Brondello said post-game. "People forget she's only 24 years of age."

The potential of what the Magbegor-Smith combination can reap in the future for Australia is exciting, as was the finish of this contest, sealed by captain Tess Madgen and her 10-point final quarter.

Madgen knocked down both of her 3-point attempts and iced the match from the stripe in the last 15.8 seconds, swishing 4-of-4 free throws.

Sami Whitcomb added 14 points on a not-so-thrilling 5-of-17 but her 3-point make in the last quarter was hugely significant.

Australia had enjoyed the edge from the start, despite slipping 2-6 behind on two early 3-point makes by Antonia Delaere.

Smith with a free throw, a triple and a hard run up the floor for a tough basket brought the Opals to 8-9, Belgian superstar Emma Meesseman showing her bona fides.

At 4:32, Magbegor's second basket gave the Opals their first lead at 12-11 but the high point came when Isobel Borlase swished a 3-pointer with 0.0 on the game-clock to give Australia a 20-19 lead after one.

Magbegor to Borlase meant the Opals led 22-19, Magbegor then scoring Australia's next eight points, including a super spin move which forced a Belgian timeout.

A Whitcomb fast break - this time it was Australia punishing an opponent's turnovers with layup buckets - meant that four minutes from halftime, the Opals were 32-25 ahead.

But Belgium's ability to score in bunches came to the fore as Julie Vanloo started to exert herself, a behind-the-back pass to a cutting Meesseman probably the match's most memorable touch of magic.

Brondello called timeout as Belgium's run continued unabated, the Aussie offence breaking down and when Meesseman stuck a jumper, Belgium was ahead 36-32 off an 11-0 outburst.

Steph Talbot put away an offensive board and when Whitcomb nailed a 3-pointer with 1.0 second left to halftime, Australia again had pinched the lead 37-36.

Meesseman had 15 points at the break and obviously needed to be a defensive focus.

Magbegor stepped up again to start Australia's scoring, then completed a sweet dish from Smith for 41-36, the Opals' mini 9-0 run stretching back into the first half.

But as dominant as Magbegor was becoming, Vanloo cut loose, inside and out, driving and scoring while (foul) drawing, swishing 3-pointers.

Her 13-point period meant for the first time, Belgium led at a break, 61-60 going into the final quarter.

Vanloo started it with a three for a 64-60 Belgium buffer, Smith's offensive rebound basket and Whitcomb's triple restoring the Opals lead at 65-64.

Subbed back in, Meesseman gave Belgium back the edge at 66-65, the lead changing again until at 6:43, Smith's free throws gave Australia a 70-69 lead that would not be reined in.

A Belgian eight-second backcourt violation allowed Talbot to add another point from the free throw line before another super solo effort from Magbegor made it a 73-69 lead.

A three-point play by Smith took it to 76-69 and a podium finish was drawing closer.

Delaere's 3-pointer from the corner brought Belgium to 78-81, forcing a Brondello timeout with 65 seconds to go.

Whitcomb running down the clock on several plays seemed an odd strategy as Australia repeatedly was forced into late clock hope shots.

With 24.6 seconds left, Delaere (right) lined up another threeball, Talbot flying to block the potential match-tying basket. That was massive.

Great Opals defensive pressure regained the ball and saw Madgen fouled inside the last 16 seconds. She coolly converted both freebies.

A Vanloo miss saw Madgen fouled again with 6.9 seconds to go and when she swished both, Australia was 85-78 ahead and on its way back to the medal podium. Vanloo threw up a three on the siren, obviously unaware she was breaking an "unwritten law."

"That was incredible to watch," Jackson said of Magbegor's performance, the GOAT's return to the Opals program in 2022 playing a monumental role in restoring the team culture.

It also meant in Jackson's five Olympics, Australia came away every time with a medal, helping erase the pain of the ill-fated Rio and Tokyo campaigns. 

AUSTRALIA OPALS 85 (Magbegor 30, Whitcomb 14, Smith 13, Madgen 10; Magbegor 13 rebs; Melbourne 7 assts) d BELGIUM CATS 81 (Vanloo 26, Meesseman 23, Delaere 15; Linskens 8 rebs; Vanloo 11 assts) 

WOMEN'S FINAL

USA v France

BRONZE MEDAL

Australia 85 d  Belgium 81

WOMEN'S SEMI FINALS

USA 85 d Australia 64, France 81 d Belgium 75 (in O/T)

WOMEN'S QUARTER-FINALS

Australia 85 d Serbia 67, Belgium 79 d Spain 66, France 84 d Germany 71, USA 88 d Nigeria 74

WOMEN'S INTRAGROUP RESULTS

Group A: Spain 90 d China 89, Serbia 58 d Puerto Rico 55; Spain 63 d Puerto Rico 62, Serbia 81 d China 59; China 80 d Puerto Rico 58, Spain 70 d Serbia 62. Spain 3-0 (+10), Serbia 2-1 (+17), China 1-2 (-1), Puerto Rico 0-3 (-26). Final Order: 1 Spain, 2 Serbia, 3 China, 4 Puerto Rico.

Group B: Nigeria 75 d Australia 62, France 75 d Canada 54; Australia 70 d Canada 65, France 75 d Nigeria 54; Nigeria 79 d Canada 70, Australia 79 d France 72. France 2-1 (+35), Nigeria 2-1 (+1), Australia 2-1 (-1), Canada 0-4 (-35). Tied Teams Table: France 1-1 +14, Australia 1-1 -6, Nigeria 1-1 -8. Final Order: 1 France, 2 Australia, 3 Nigeria, 4 Canada

Group C: Germany 83 d Belgium 69, USA 102 d Japan 76; Germany 75 d Japan 64, USA 87 d Belgium 74; Belgium 85 d Japan 58, USA 87 d Germany 68. USA 3-0 (+58), Germany 2-1 (+6), Belgium 1-2 (0), Japan 0-3 (-64). Final Order: 1 USA, 2 Germany, 3 Belgium, 4 Japan