The Australian women's basketball team has laser focus on one thing as it builds towards this year's World Cup in Sydney – defence.
The Opals recently returned from Serbia where they had their first proper hit out since a disappointing 8th placed finish at last year's Tokyo Olympics.
While the other nations were fighting it out to qualify for the World Cup, the Opals were able to use it as a learning exercise, having already secured their spot as the host country.
They had two wins and a loss, but it's all part of a bigger plan.
"We want to be that tough defensive team and I think we had spurts of that, and it was really exciting," Opals captain Sami Whitcomb told ABC Sport.
"But sustaining that will be really important for us. And I think continuing to make sure offensively we handle the pressure," she added.
"I think that was probably our biggest problem throughout the tournament, just handling that international pressure and physicality that is different from anywhere else that we'll play."
Finding their identity again
The Opals' new game plan is to go back to their old foundations.
While their "sisterhood" is strong, by their own admission, their culture isn't where it needs to be.
And with a home World Cup looming, it needs to be fixed, fast.
"I think the big thing that we established that we have to make as a part of our identity is that defensive toughness, that grit, that fight, that passion that we play with out there, that has always been a real trademark of the Opals," Whitcomb said.
"I think maybe it's gotten away from us a little bit over the past few years.
There are less than seven months until the World Cup, and after COVID interrupted much of the team's Olympics preparation, Whitcomb hopes it'll be much smoother this time around.
"I'm not really worried about (time) with this group. We're so committed to it on this team and it's really important to us. So, I'm really just excited to see where the next six months takes us," she said.
"We'll have some more camps and just some more opportunity to really come together and work on these things and to build that chemistry and culture we're trying to drive."
From missing the Olympics to Opals captain
Whitcomb has become an integral part of the team in quick time.
The American-born guard missed out on the Olympics, as the Opals were only allowed to select one naturalised citizen.
While Leilani Mitchell got the edge then, she's now pregnant, and Whitcomb has grabbed her opportunity.
She captained an inexperienced team to a bronze medal at the Asia Cup late last year, and when usual skipper Jenna O'Hea withdrew from the Serbia tournament to look after her mental health, Whitcomb again stepped up.
"It's been a surprise and a massive privilege and honour. It was less surprising for Asia Cup because we did have so many debutants and we were so fresh and young," she said.
"We have some really tremendous leadership on the group and some incredible vets that have come back. So to get that nod was really special.
It clearly worked in Serbia, where Whitcomb was named in the tournament all-star five.
Motivation to succeed at World Cup
But the bigger focus for Whitcomb, and her teammates, is September's World Cup.
The 12 nations competing have now been finalised, and the draw will be conducted in Sydney next week.
Australia last hosted the tournament in 1994 and has won it once – in 2006.
A podium finish is the Opals' ultimate goal.
"Going to worlds at all is a massive opportunity, it's something that people will remember the rest of their lives," Whitcomb said.
"But then doing it in front of the home fans in front of your family on home soil, I think it's just it's that much extra special. And I think it drives us that little bit more as well."
