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FRANCE really looked likely to inflict one of the great FIBA Women's World Cup upsets over the USA overnight in Berlin, but despite the best efforts of All Star Five selection Gabby Williams, the Americans set aside their petty internal squabbles to post a comprehensive 97-79 gold medal victory.

That made it 12 World Cups since 1953 and five in succession for the might of the US, which last lost a WC match in 2006 - and no, not to eventual champion Australia.

The USA was shocked by Russia in the semi finals, opening the door for our history-makers who then took full advantage.

Today after trailing at halftime and by as many as 14 points courtesy of Williams' remarkable 16-point first half, the Americans took full advantage of a series of French fumbles and turnovers to yet again flex their international championship muscles and assert their superiority. 

The fact former Perth Lynx WNBL import Jackie Young was named player of the final speaks volumes of the groundwork for which our league was responsible.

The question now in the aftermath of a depleted Australia's sixth placing is where does that performance truly rate when looking forward to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles?

Let's be blunt. Considering the injuries and outs, making it to the quarter finals was definitely a Pass mark. There was enough courage and Aussie grit shown by the players for anyone who follows the Opals to know this was a terrific effort.

C+ Pass Mark for Australia's Opals

But could it have been better and where do the Opals look next, ahead of Los Angeles 2028?

Well let's start at the selection of Sandy Brondello's 12-player team for Berlin. On paper, it didn't look too bad, maybe only some of us alarmed at its potential for break down at the point guard spot.

Then came the devastating news our primary PG, Sami Whitcomb, was a late withdrawal.

Like-for-like, the logical replacement should have been Georgia Amoore, Ballarat's 25-year-old PG who has started every game this WNBA season for Washington Mystics, averaging 6.6 points and 3.5 assists. OR ... WNBL champion Courtney Woods, who not only led Townsville to the 2026 championship but in the process won the Rachael Sporn Medal as the Grand Final Series MVP.

Instead Brondello plumped for the Fire's 3-point specialist Miela Sowah. This is no knock on Miela, who showed with her classic 3-point make to force overtime in Game 2 of the WNBL championship that she is a pressure player who can handle the big moment. And after the Asia Cup, she is no stranger to the program either.

But when one of the team's crying needs was at PG, the Opals added a shooting guard. And then, as if to compound that decision, when Australia's 3-point shooting at the Worlds was among its worst ever, Sowah our 3-point specialist, barely was used until the very end when injuries necessitated it!

(It was vaguely reminiscent of Brondello selecting 40-plus-year-old Lauren Jackson for the 2022 World Cup ... and then not using her! Finally letting her play against Canada in the bronze medal game, Jackson scored 30.

She still had something of value to offer. But come Paris Olympics in 2024, Brondello again took Jackson and once more did not utilise her, clearly forgetting that match against Canada. It made no sense. Select her and play her or don't select her. Simple.)

Jade Melbourne's transition to primary ball handler was and remains premature. She missed Opals selection in 2022 yet in her first senior national side at the 2024 Olympics, Brondello threw her the team keys, elevating her to starting point guard.

It's easy now to overlook the opening 62-75 debacle loss to Nigeria but wow, those alarm bells sure were ringing. Some amazing stand-out efforts by since-retired captain Tess Madgen, Isobel Borlase, Steph Talbot and Ezi Magbegor brought the Opals sufficiently back on track to secure the bronze medal.

Melbourne plays at PG for the WNBA's Seattle Storm but in Australia's green-and-gold, her ability to identify and facilitate are still very much a learning process.

Driving to the hoop, throwing up a prayer and flinging yourself on the floor may work a charm in the WNBL, but it isn't worth much in an international environment.

Our national women's 3x3 coach Damon Lowery is the top spruiker for Ally Wilson as a PG but she is a combo guard who pinch-hits at the point. Would you rather see her shooting a three at the end of a play or ignoring them and instead trying to set up a shot for someone else?

And how much are PG skills required in 3x3, a place where player reaction and the ability to play quickly and instinctively are the primary objectives? Ally wasn't even the PG at Perth Lynx before transferring this season to Sydney. She assuredly pinch-hit there but the primary decision-maker was Alex Ciabattoni.

Wilson backing up Borlase at the #2 would really shore up a spot that has been dicey since Bec Allen said never again to the Opals program. Borlase is always working to make something happen.

Steph Reid also has proven herself as a PG at this level. Yes, no argument the Asia Cup is a massive drop in pressure and prestige from the Worlds or Olympics, but Reid was in the All Star Five at the last one, which suggests she is not far off the pace.

And forced by injuries to start against Spain in the quarters, she enjoyed an 11-point first period and did nothing to harm her bona fides.

Steph Talbot, who led the team in every important statistic, still has a fourth Olympics in her and Magbegor and Alanna Smith, if fit, are our marquees. But they need greater help in the back-up spots where Zitina Aokuso did adequately but where a Lauren Scherf or a Darcee Garbin also would not hurt.

Alex Fowler, our Asia Cup MVP and All Star Fiver, may have endured a howler against Puerto Rico but she steadily grew in confidence to take over the type of role Sara Blicavs once inhabited.

Isabelle Bourne needed to tidy up her finishing but did not look out of place and Chloe Bibby only further enhanced her reputation.

Whitcomb has been and remains a great player and contributor to Australian basketball but she is 38. Not sure what the expectation is when looking to the future. Similarly Cayla George at 37 is talking about how she isn't done with basketball? Well chances are Brondello will select her for LA.

She would be 39, Whitcomb 40. If we are still relying on those warriors, then it speaks volumes to how ill-prepared this program has been in keeping an eye on and securing the future along with the now.

Brondello will be coaching her third Olympics so that's where the buck has to stop. Our greatest ever WNBA coach has enough Opals pieces that, provided they stay healthy, can drive us back to the podium in LA. But it's about selecting from the head, not the heart.

FIBA Women's World Cup Results

Gold Medal Final

USA 97 (Stewart 22, Young 18, Copper 15, Clark, Gray 12; Stewart 10 rebs; Young, Gray 5 assts) d France 79 (Malonga 21, Williams 20, Ayayi 8; Malonga 6 rebs; Williams 7 assts)..

Bronze Medal Final

Spain 81 (Martin 22, Carrera 15, Conde 12, Fam 10; Fam 9 rebs; Martin 9 assts) d Germany 58 (Sabally, Peterson 13, Fiebich 10; Fiebich 7 rebs; Guelich 3 assts)

MVP: Breanna Stewart (USA)

All Star 5 First Team: Iyana Martin (Spain), Jackie Young (USA), Gabby Williams (France), Leonie Fiebich (Germany), Breanna Stewart (USA) 

All Star 5 Second Team: Janelle Salaun (France), Nyara Sabally (Germany), Steph Talbot (Australia), Emma Meesseman (Belgium), Han Xu (China)

Coach of the World Cup: Miguel Mendez (Spain)  Best Defensive: Gabby Williams (France)

Rising Star: Iyana Martin (Spain)

Semi Finals

USA 76 d Spain 66; France 86 d Germany 64

Quarter Finals

USA 108 d Hungary 56    Spain 89 d Australia 66

France 90 d China 61     Germany 93 d Belgium 74

Quarter Final Qualifiers

Hungary 84, Japan 63; Germany 94, Korea 56; China 75, Puerto Rico 72; Australia 82, Italy 80.

Intragroup Stage:

GROUP A: Japan 102, Mali 97; Spain 83, Germany 53; Mali 82, Spain 73; Germany 74, Japan 58; Spain 79, Japan 59; Germany 83, Mali 58; Positions: 1 Spain 2-1, 2 Germany 2-1, 3 Japan 1-2, 4 Mali 1-2

GROUP B: Korea 99, Nigeria 81; France 99, Hungary 53; France 95, Korea 69; Hungary 71, Nigeria 67; Hungary 82, Korea 73; France 111, Nigeria 56. Positions: 1 France 3-0, 2 Hungary 2-1, Korea 1-2, 4 Nigeria 0-3

GROUP C: Belgium 80, Australia  68; Belgium 76, Puerto Rico 64; Australia 87, Turkey 71; Belgium 89, Turkey 75; Australia 70, Puerto Rico 54; Puerto Rico 75, Turkey 71. Positions: 1 Belgium 3-0, 2 Australia 2-1, 3 Puerto Rico 1-2, 4 Turkey 0-3

GROUP D: USA 94, China 61; Italy 63, Czechia 54; China 74, Czechia 70; USA 55, Italy 52; USA 105, Czechia 64; China 71, Italy 51. Positions: 1 USA 3-0, 2 China 2-1, 3 Italy 1-2, Czechia 0-3 

All World Cup pics courtesy of fiba.com