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TESSA Lavey's ambitions of competing at a second Olympics are on target after the Bendigo Spirit gun was named in the Australian Opals' 2020 squad on Monday.
Just over a year out from the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, Basketball Australia announced an Opals' squad of 23 that features Lavey, as well as a host of players who have previously played for the Bendigo Spirit.
A final squad of 12 will represent the Opals at the 2021 Olympics, which were postponed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Lavey's selection in the squad comes a month after she re-signed with the Spirit ahead of the 2020-21 WNBL season.
While Lavey is the only current Spirit player in the Opals' squad, there are five players who have previously played with Bendigo's WNBL club also included - Sara Blicavs (51 games), Kelsey Griffin (121 games), Shyla Heal (21 games), Tess Madgen (46 games) and Jenna O'Hea (20 games).
Lavey, who has played 62 games for the Spirit, was part of Australia's 2016 Olympic team in Rio, while she won a gold medal with the Opals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Heal is one of the newcomers to the Opals squad after she was one of the shining lights for the Bendigo Spirit last season when she led the team in scoring, but she is continuing her WNBL career with Townsville.
"While the Olympic postponement was disappointing but necessary, we are excited as a group to get back together in November and start the process of building our chemistry to become the best team possible for Tokyo and beyond," Opals coach Sandy Brondello said.
* Australian Opals squad - Rebecca Allen, Zitina Aokuso, Sara Blicavs, Elizabeth Cambage, Rebecca Cole, Katie-Rae Ebzery, Darcee Garbin, Cayla George, Kelsey Griffin, Shyla Heal, Tessa Lavey, Tess Madgen, Ezi Magbegor, Tiana Mangakahia, Leilani Mitchell, Lauren Nicholson, Jenna O'Hea, Maddison Rocci, Jaz Shelley, Alanna Smith, Stephanie Talbot, Marianna Tolo, Sami Whitcomb.
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