Lauren Mansfield has made an impact for Australia in the nation’s maiden Asia Women’s Cup appearance.
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The Opals shook off South Korea 78-54 on Sunday in the opening pool game staged at Bangalore in India.
Mansfield on debut got 19:40 on court – the fourth most time of the Australians – and finished with a tidy six points for the match, all scored in the third quarter.
She scored three of eight from the field, but 50 per cent on her two-point shots.
But it was the Launceston SEABL captain’s game-high five assists that had sparked Australia to turn around a 15-13 first-quarter deficit into its 33-18 half-time lead.
The point guard at one stage showcased her trickery with a perfectly-delivered pass over her shoulder to Marianna Tolo for the basket.
Mansfield, along with fellow debutants Kelsey Griffin and Alana Smith, impressed on the international stage under the pressure of the Koreans’ late full-court press.
The Asian Cup acts as qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup.
Andrew Mathieson
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
