Former Rockingham Flames Garbin and Whitcomb named in Opals World Cup training camp

Former Rockingham Flames players Darcee Garbin and Sami Whitcomb have been selected in the Australian women’s basketball team selection camp for the 2018 FIBA World Cup.

Garbin, who moved to Rockingham from Kalgoorlie at the age of 15, played for the Flames from 2011-2016, winning SBL titles in 2014 and 2015, before returning to the club for a brief stint at the start of this SBL season.

The two-time Townsville Fire WNBL champion left after just six games - in which she averaged 24.8 points and eight rebounds - and missed out on final selection for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

She was today named alongside former Flames teammate Whitcomb in the August 10-17 camp at Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport.

A 12-player squad will be picked to travel to Tenerife, Spain for the FIBA Women’s World Cup from September 22-30.

Whitcomb, who now plays for Seattle Storm in the WNBA, faces a challenge making the final 12 as only one naturalised player can be selected in the squad. Having gained Australian citizenship in February - in time for, but missing out on, the Commonwealth Games also - she faces competition for a place from Leilani Mitchell and Kelsey Griffin.

Head coach Sandy Brondello said every training session would be vital following the recent six-game tour of China.

“With the World Cup less than two months away, every training session is vital in order to be in our best shape and improve on areas at both ends of the floor,” she said.

Garbin’s younger sister Sophie, an emerging netball star, recently secured a new deal with Super Netball club Sydney Swifts.