Former Flames stars Garbin and Whitcomb miss out on World Cup squad

Former Rockingham Flames players Darcee Garbin and Sami Whitcomb have missed out on Australian Opals selection for next month’s FIBA Women’s World Cup.

The pair were named in a pre-tournament training camp this month but were not among the final 12 picked today to travel to Tenerife, Spain for the September 22-30 tournament.

Whitcomb, whose Seattle Storm finished the WNBA season as the top seed in the Western Conference and is most pundits’ favourites for the title this season, faced an uphill battle in making the squad only one naturalised player could be selected. That place went to Phoenix Mercury’s Leilani Mitchell.

The fourth-ranked Opals take on and Turkey (seventh), Argentina (15th) and Nigeria (34th) in Group B, with the pool leader advancing to the quarterfinals on September 28.

The Opals claimed FIBA World Cup gold in 2006 and bronze medals in 1998, 2002 and 2014, and will be aiming to replicate that success this year.

“Our focus will be making sure we are ready to play at our best each and every game,” coach Sandy Brondello said.