The Australian Under 21 Women’s basketball team, the Sapphires, recorded a hard fought 89-82 win over Brazil in their final preliminary round match at the 2007 FIBA World Championships at the SK Vidnoje Hall in Vidnoje, Russia this evening.

The Sapphires now finish second in Group B behind the USA with four wins and a loss and will face either Belgium or Canada in a quarter final on Friday, August 6, with the winner advancing to the medal rounds. 

The Sapphires easily defeated Brazil, 94-77, on the way to winning a pre-World Championship tournament in Spain last week.

“We lacked a little bit of energy because it was our fifth game in six days but the girls really hung tough and grabbed a great win,” Head Coach Gary Fox said.

“The girls have been great at overcoming adversity which is one of the Opals themes and a part of their culture and we have tried to instill that with the girls.

“It doesn’t matter what happens we just have to be able overcome it and be ready to go and the girls have done that.

“We were really pleased with our rebounding today but the biggest area we need to improve on is our turnover rate. We turned the ball over a little too much.

“It was an extremely tough game today and it is tough becasue you have to win in a different way every game.”

Adelaide Lightning guard Renae Camino continued her brilliant form, scoring  24 points to lead the Sapphires while defencejobs Opals squad member Jenna O’Hea added 19 points and 6 rebounds and 18-year-old Canberra forward Abby Bishop tallied 14-points and 12 rebounds, her second consecutive double-double.

Franciele Nascimiento scored a game high 26 points for Brazil and Izabela Morais added 14 points.

In a scrappy first term, both teams exchanged baskets and the lead at will before the Brazilians claimed the quarter 18-17 – the first time the Sapphires had trailed at quarter time in the tournament.

Neither side gave an inch a second term which the Sapphires won 18-16 to hold a 35-34 half time lead.

A 12-6 surge from Brazil allowed them to open up 61-57 three quarter time lead.

A spirited Sapphires started the decisive quarter with a commanding 12-2 run to take a 69-63 lead before Brazil responded with a 10-0 of their own to regain the lead, 72-69.

Back-to-back three point plays from O’Hea wrestled the lead back for the Sapphires before 2006/07 defencejobs WNBL Rookie of the Year Cayla Francis and Bishop combined to take the game away from Brazil, the Sapphires winning 89-82.

“If someone had told us before we left Australia that we could be four and one with our only loss by two points to the US, we would have probably taken that,” Fox said.

“We have done well and we could have possibly been 5-and-0 but we are in the quarter finals and it’s a huge game and we just have to prepare and get ready to play.”

Going into the match, Brazil knew they had to dig deep against the Sapphires and for most of the game out hustled the Australians, forcing 24 Sapphire turnovers and making 18 steals.

There were no injuries to report. 

The coach and team members are available for comment upon request.

LIVE statistics for all Sapphires games are available at www.russia2007.fiba.com