Australia’s narrow win over Italy in their quarterfinal qualification game at the FIBA Women’s World Cup on Wednesday came at a cost. Their toughest assignment of the tournament so far got tougher after captain Ezi Magbegor went down with an apparent injury in the first quarter, forcing HC Sandy Brondello to pivot to other options. Unfortunately, post-game, Brondello couldn’t offer a clear update on Magbegor’s status, leaving a big question as they head into the quarterfinal against Spain on Thursday.

“We’ll see what the (test) result is tomorrow,” Brondello said post-game, as quoted by Alexa Philippou on X. “She’s walking; that’s a good sign.”

Brondello also admitted that her “heart sank” when Magbegor went down in the first quarter because of how “impactful” the 27-year-old Forward has been to the team.

The sequence happened with around 5:50 left in the first quarter. When driving inside the paint for a layup, Ezi Magbegor made contact with Italy’s number 13, Lorela Cubaj. After hopping a few feet on one leg, the Australian captain went down immediately, holding her right leg, and her teammate called for medical help. Magbegor did not return for the rest of the game.

The Italians pushed the Opals to their limit in this game. Australia dictated the tempo for long stretches, stretching its advantage to as many as 26 points in the third quarter before Italy mounted a ferocious late charge to pull level in the waning minutes. When momentum threatened to slip away, the Opals held their nerve, riding a clutch breakout performance from Isobel Borlase to close out the win and secure their spot in the next round.

Without Australian captain Magbegor on the floor, Italy completed the improbable. Costanza Verona shook her defender off the dribble, stepped behind the arc, and buried the tying triple at 77–77 with 1:09 remaining, puncturing Australia’s 77–74 buffer and capping a furious 10-0 run that began with 4:06 remaining.

Yet under maximum pressure, the Opals didn’t fold. With 24 seconds on the clock, Zitina Aokuso took matters into her own hands, fighting through traffic for an authoritative layup to reclaim a 79–77 advantage. Across that chaotic final stretch, Italy played good basketball, scoring 10 points without a mistake while Australia sputtered to six points and a giveaway.

But in the frantic final seconds, the Opals rediscovered their footing, locking down defensively, and Alex Wilson and Isobel Borlase converted at the FT line to preserve a heart-pounding win with an 82-80 scoreline.

In Magbegor’s absence, Borlase stood tall as Australia’s undeniable hero, racking up 30 points, four rebounds, and five assists across 31 minutes of action. She registered a 27 efficiency rating and a +9 plus/minus. Borlase tore through the defense on efficient 7-of-13 shooting from the field, 2-of-3 from distance.

Her blistering scoring flurries, erupting for nine points in a 45-second burst during the second period and another eight across 2:22 late in the first, built the early buffer that ultimately preserved Australia’s tournament hopes.

It will now be interesting to see how Sandy Brondello picks her squad against Spain if Magbegor is unable to play. It will be tough to replace her output, as she has averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game this season.

Brondello is clearly aware of the challenge that awaits.

“It’s very rarely an Opals team is an underdog, but we are clearly the underdog going into tomorrow’s game,” she said.

Australia could also be without Jade Melbourne, as her status is not clear. Sami Whitcomb and Alanna Smith are already out. The Winner of the Australia-Spain matchup will face the winner of the USA-Hungary game in the semifinals, in what promises to be a blockbuster game.