Basketball

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

DAYS: Eight, alternating with men's competition.

TEAMS: 12, with only hosts Australia and world champions the US guaranteed a place.

KEY DATES: Five-Test series v Brazil in Australia, May 24-30, 1999. Four-nation tournament in US, Sept 7-20. Ozbasket 2000, four-team tournament at Olympic SuperDome 12-17 June, 2000. Mid-August to mid-September, tournaments in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Wollongong against teams preparing for the Olympics.

LEADING COMPETITORS: Lauren Jackson, Kristi Harrower, Sandy Brondello, Michele Timms, Carla Porter, Trish Fallon, Michelle Brogan, Rachael Sporn and Jenny Whittle. MEDAL RATING: 5. One bad game prevented the Opals playing for gold in the past two "majors" ('96 Olympics, '98 world championships) and they won bronze at both.

INTERNATIONAL CONTENDERS: US, Russia, Brazil, Spain.

Tickets: Preliminary: $45/$55 Intermediate: $70-80/$45 (mens $185/$125) Final: $205/$155 (men's $455/$325)

Place: The Dome

Day one (Saturday, September 16): Womens preliminaries - 9:30-13:10, 14:30-18:10, 19:30-23:10

Day two (September 17): Mens preliminaries - 9:30-13:10, 14:30-18:10, 19:30-23:10

Day three (September 18): Womens preliminaries - 09:30-13:10, 14:30-18:10, 19:30-23:10

Day four (September 19): Mens preliminaries - 9:30-13:10, 14:30-18:10, 19:30-23:10

Day five (September 20): Womens preliminaries - 9:30-13:10, 14:30-18:10, 19:30-23:10

Day six (September 21): Mens preliminaries - 9:30-13:10, 14:30-18:10, 19:30-23:10

Day seven (September 22): Womens preliminaries - 9:30-13:10, 14:30-18:10, 19:30-23:10

Day eight (September 23): Mens preliminaries - 9:30-13:10, 14:30-18:10, 19:30-23:10

Day nine (September 24): Womens preliminaries - 9:30-13:10, 14:30-18:10, 19:30-23:10

Day 10 (September 25): Mens preliminaries - 9:30-13:10, 14:30-18:10, 19:30-23:10

Day 11 (September 26): Womens classifications - 09:30-13:10, Mens classifications - 14:30-18:10

Day 12 (September 27): Womens quarterfinals, Sydney SuperDome - 15:00-18:40, 20:00-23:40

Day 13 (September 28: Mens quarterfinals, Sydney SuperDome -15:00-18:40, 20:00-23:40

Day 14 (September 29): Sydney SuperDome, womens classifications -9:30-13:10, womens semifinals - 14:30-18:10, mens semifinals - 19:30-23:10

Day 15 (September 30): Sydney SuperDome, mens classifications - 12:00-15:40, womens bronze and gold medal games - 18:00-22:10

Day 16 (October 1): Sydney SuperDome, mens bronze and gold medal games - 11:00-15:10

MEN'S BASKETBALL

DAYS: Eight.

TEAMS: 12, with only hosts Australia and world champions Yugoslavia guaranteed a place.

KEY DATES: Five-Test series v Russia in Australia, May 22-29, 1990. Boomers play in tournaments in Berlin and Athens, June 4-11. Five-Test series v Canada in Australia, June 17-23. Ozbasket 2000, four-team tournament at Olympic SuperDome, June 12-17, 2000. Mid-Aug to mid-Sept, tournaments in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Townsville and Wollongong against teams preparing for the Olympics.

LEADING COMPETITORS: Luc Longley, Mark Bradtke, Paul Rogers, Chris Anstey, Sam Mackinnon, and Simon Dwight. MEDAL RATING: 3.5. The Boomers' world ranking of nine is an aberration, the result of a disappointing world championships in Athens last year. They were fourth in Atlanta.

INTERNATIONAL CONTENDERS: The US "Dream Team" should win gold, with Yugoslavia, Russia and Lithuania also in the hunt for the minor medals.