Opals legend to add polish to Australian Gems

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Four-time Olympian and Australian Opals legend Kristi Harrower is back in charge of the green and gold.

But this time it’s not from the point guard position, it’s from the sidelines as head coach

Harrower will lead the Australian Gems into the FIBA Under-18 Asia Cup in Malaysia from October 4-10 with a an extended squad full of the next generation of Opals stars, many of whom helped the Sapphires to a FIBA Under-17 World Cup bronze medal last month.

The three-time WNBL champion, who won a medal at each Olympics she competed in from Sydney in 2000 to London in 2012, steps into the position after leading the Southside Melbourne Flyers for two seasons and also having been an assistant for Sandy Brondello within the Opals system.

She is also a head coach for the Keilor Thunder in the NBL1 South, where she was named Coach of the Year in 2024.

Harrower's Gems team will be more than likely be headlined by FIBA U17 World Cup All-Star Five member, Madison Ryan, as well as the tournament’s Best Defensive Player in Olivia Olechnowicz, who also starred for the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence last season.

Guard Isabel Smith, who also impressed at the World Cup, as well as Jemyma Manyok, Lilly Mapp, Matilda Trout, Sophie Richardson and Jade Sherrington are also  squad after being part of the Sapphires.

Eliza Shanahan, the daughter of longtime NBL guard Matt Shanahan, earns an opportunity after moulding her skills at the CoE and Queensland’s Cheyenne Bobongie was selected after helping the Mackay Meteorettes to the NBL1 North championship, where she was named Grand Final Series MVP.

The squad also features several rising stars, who have signed in the WNBL, with the Adelaide Lightning’s Aspen Crase as well as young Tasmania Jewels forward Andie Smith earning the chance to represent the green and gold again.

Harrower will lead the team at the Asia Cup with Renae Garlepp, who took the Gems to a silver medal at the 2025 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, unavailable due to WNBL commitments with the Sydney Flames.

Australian Gems Squad

• Reece Anticevic – Western Australia (U17 Oceania Cup 2025)
• Cheyenne Bobongie – Queensland (U17 Oceania Cup 2025)
• Aspen Crase – South Australia (U17 Oceania Cup 2025)
• Rebecca Donnelly – New South Wales (U17 Oceania Cup 2025)
• Mia Harvey – Victoria
• Abbey Jones – South Australia
• Addison Knight – Victoria
• Jemyma Manyok – Queensland (U17 World Cup 2026, U17 Oceania Cup 2025, U16 Asia Cup 2025, U15 Oceania Cup 2024)
• Lily Mapp – Queensland (U17 World Cup 2026, U16 Asia Cup 2025, U15 Oceania Cup 2024)
• Daisy Nousis – Victoria
• Olivia Olechnowicz – Queensland (U17 World Cup 2026, U17 Oceania Cup 2025, U16 Asia Cup 2025, U15 Oceania Cup 2024)
• Kaila Proctor – New South Wales
• Sophie Richardson – Victoria (U17 World Cup 2026, U16 Asia Cup 2025, U15 Oceania Cup 2024)
• Madison Ryan – Victoria (U17 World Cup 2026, U19 World Cup 2025, U17 Oceania Cup 2025, U16 Asia Cup 2025, U17 World Cup 2024, U15 Oceania Cup 2024)
• Eliza Shanahan – Victoria
• Jade Sherrington – Queensland (U17 World Cup 2026, U15 Oceania Cup 2024)
• Andie Smith – Tasmania (U17 Oceania Cup 2025)
• Isabel Smith – Queensland (U17 World Cup 2026, U17 Oceania Cup 2025, U16 Asia Cup 2025, U15 Oceania Cup 2024)
• Matilda Trout – Victoria (U17 World Cup 2026, U16 Asia Cup 2025)
• Eliza Ashby: (U17 World Cup 2026, U17 Oceania Cup 20250

A selection camp for the Gems will be held in Canberra from September 8-11 to select the final 12 players for the tournament.