Talented trio take Aussie Sapphires through to quarters

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Australia stormed into the next round with a commanding 71-45 victory over Germany in the Round of 16 at Starez Arena Vodova Hall 2 in Brno, dictating the contest from start to finish behind a balanced scoring effort led by Madison Ryan and Isabel Smith.

Ryan sets the tone inside

Madison Ryan was the game's most efficient scorer, finishing with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including a near-flawless 7-of-8 from two-point range. She added four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block, posting a team-high efficiency rating of 18 in just under 20 minutes on the floor.

Ryan's interior presence forced Germany to collapse defensively, opening driving lanes and kick-out opportunities that Australia exploited throughout the contest.

Smith orchestrates the offence

Starting guard Isabel Smith complemented Ryan's inside work with a 15-point, 4-assist performance, going 2-of-4 from beyond the arc and 5-of-7 from the free-throw line. Smith also chipped in a steal and a block, finishing a game-high plus-39 across 22 minutes.

Her ability to create off the dribble and hit from distance kept Germany's defence stretched, ensuring Australia's offence never stalled for long.

Olechnowicz provides the spark

Olivia Olechnowicz gave Australia crucial secondary scoring, dropping 11 points on 50% shooting from the field, including 2-of-4 from three-point range. She added three assists and finished plus-28, giving the starting unit a reliable third scoring option alongside Ryan and Smith.

Her efficiency helped Australia extend their advantage during key stretches, punishing Germany's rotations with clean perimeter looks.

Trout dominates the glass

Matilda Trout delivered a quietly dominant all-around performance, converting all three of her field-goal attempts for six points while pulling down a team-high seven rebounds, five of them on the defensive end. She also contributed an assist, three steals and a steal on the defensive end.

Jemyma Manyok added four points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks, while Sophie Richardson chipped in four points and five rebounds off the bench, giving Australia a decisive rebounding edge across the frontcourt rotation.

Balanced attack overwhelms Germany

Australia's depth proved overwhelming, with 11 players finding the scoresheet and the team shooting 40.91% from the field overall, including a highly efficient 52.38% from two-point range. The Australians hit 12 of 16 free throws (75%) and dished out 19 assists on 27 made field goals - a clear sign of the ball movement that underpinned the offensive rhythm.

On the defensive end, Australia was equally imposing, tallying seven steals, six blocks and holding Germany to just 45 points. The 46-34 rebounding advantage, including 12 offensive boards, generated extra possessions that Germany simply could not match.

Jasmine Jones (five points, three rebounds, two assists) and Lily Mapp (four points, five rebounds) rounded out the contributions from Australia's bench, ensuring the intensity never dropped when the starters rested.

By the Numbers

Madison Ryan (AUS): 16 pts │ 4 reb │ 2 ast │ 7-of-11 FG │ 1 stl │ 1 blk

Isabel Smith (AUS): 15 pts │ 4 ast │ 2 reb │ 5-of-7 FT │ 1 stl │ 1 blk

Olivia Olechnowicz (AUS): 11 pts │ 3 ast │ 2 reb │ 2-of-4 3PT

Matilda Trout (AUS): 6 pts │ 7 reb │ 3 stl │ 3-of-3 FG

Jemyma Manyok (AUS): 4 pts │ 4 reb │ 2 ast │ 2 blk

Sophie Richardson (AUS): 4 pts │ 5 reb │ 2 ast