Basketball On The Internet.

BUOYED by the rousing support of its home crowd and playing arguably its best game of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, Turkey pushed Australia to the limit before Sami Whitcomb, Alanna Smith, Steph Talbot, Alex Wilson and a cameo by Cayla George steered the Opals to a thrilling 77-74 win.

With first-five centre Ezi Magbegor out injured, Opals coach Sandy Brondello inserted Zitina Aokuso to the starting quintet but as this cut-throat clash wore on, increasingly threw her trust behind the veteran warhorse George.

Having spent much of the week anchored to the bench, she responded for 16 points at 56 per cent (including 4-of-7 threes), four rebounds, five assists and three steals in 29:27 of on-court drama.

Whitcomb again led from the front, her 11 points invaluable but her five assists and five steals also a key to taking the Opals' record at the tournament to 4-0.

Smith continued to be a keyway monster, her 18 points at 54 per cent including five offensive rebounds she gathered through pure strength, athleticism and desire.

Finishing with 10 boards, it was her first double-double of the series, Steph Talbot (9 points) the only one of the main five not scoring in double figures but her two blocks and three steals again essential in securing the victory.

Sticking with Alex Wilson as starting PG, she brought home 14 points and five assists, although her four turnovers were ugly and ill-timed.

But Brondello limited her own options as the match wore on. Jade Melbourne was being called for the side-on nudge fouls they ignore in the WNBL and so was never a factor.

Steph Reid was under-utilised and Paris Olympian and league MVP Isobel Borlase, whose radar for attacking the hoop is second-to-none, was hamstrung by her own turnover return of three in 16:53.

Turkish forward Sevgi Uzun (game-high 20 points) was always a threat, leading her team back after it trailed 64-73 inside the final two minutes.

Kennedy Burke's basket followed Uzun's and when Whitcomb fouled Ayse Yamaner after a Wilson turnover, she hit one free throw to slice the deficit to 69-73.

Another Wilson turnover and Burke was scoring for 71-73 but Uzun fouling Talbot meant the triple-Olympian had two FTs to come.

Icing both, the lead was back to 75-71 but Uzun drove to cut it to 73-75. The Opals this time managed to bungle the ball forward for Wilson to lay it in for 77-73 amid faux controversy based on some midcourt over-acting by Turkey's Sinem Atas.

Fouled on Turkey's last play, Burke converted the first, attempting to miss the second but Whitcomb claimed the rebound and Australia the win.

“I think it was a really hard-fought game,” Smith said. “I want to give a shout out to the Turkey team. They played a really tough game and they’re a tough opponent.

“But I’m really proud of how we stuck together through everything that was thrown at us, and I think it was a really good growing moment for us.”

*FIBA World Cup Qualifying Series

Australia Opals 77 (Smith 18, George 16, Wilson 14, Whitcomb 11; Smith 10 rebs; Whitcomb, Wilson, George 5 assts) d Turkey 74 (Uzun 20, Burke 17, Cakir 14, Atas 10; Topuz 8 rebs; Cakir 6 assts) in Turkey.

Australia Opals 71 (Magbegor 14, Whitcomb 12, Smith 11; Aokuso 9 rebs; 4 with 2 assts) d Hungary 58 (Kiss 10, Dubei 9, Dombai 7; Juhasz, Kiss 7 rebs; Aho 3 assts) in Turkey.

Australia Opals 81 (Whitcomb 17, Magbegor 14, Smith 12, Aokuso 10; Smith 9 rebs; Wilson 7 assts) d Japan 71 (Tanaka 17, Yamamoto, Hirashita 16; Machida 6 rebs; Machida 10 assts) in Turkey.

Australia Opals 91 (Borlase 19, Magbegor 16, Melbourne 12; Smith, Magbegor 7 rebs; Smith 5 assts) d Argentina 65 (Chagas, Mungo 17; Gretter 7 rebs; Gretter 6 assts) in Turkey.

*Australia has already qualified for the World Cup in Berlin.