THE Jayco Australian Opals will be without guard Deanna Smith for tonight’s international clash with Japan at Bendigo Stadium.Smith, who hails from Castlemaine and played in Bendigo as a junior, was unable to train yesterday because of illness and is not expected to be fit to play in tonight’s match.Smith’s withdrawal from the match is a major loss for the Opals, with the player averaging 16.1 points and 5.8 per game for the Sydney Uni Flames in last summer’s WNBL season.Smith has also dominated in the South East Association Basketball League for Kilsyth, averaging an impressive 21.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.Although Smith will be missing the clash, Bendigo basketball fans will get the opportunity to watch some of the world’s best players, including Olympians Laura Summerton, Jenni Screen, Erin Phillips, Hollie Grima, Alicia Poto and Bendigo’s own Kristi Harrower.The Opals squad has attended a three-day training camp at Dandenong Basketball Stadium in the lead-up to the series, with players being selected on a rotating 12-player team selection for each game.The Opals World Challenge will be the only opportunity basketball fans will have to see the Opals play in Australia before the 2010 FIBA World Championship in September in the Czech Republic.Following tonight’s game in Bendigo, the team will travel to the Geelong Arena and the Dandenong Basketball Stadium where the Opals played in front of sold out crowds in a friendly series against China in 2009.Tonight’s international friendly match, sponsored by V-Line and Go For Your Life, will tip off at 7pm at Bendigo Stadium in Marong Road.Tickets are still available from the Bendigo Bank Spirit office on 5440 6220 or at the door. Meanwhile, former Bendigo junior Matthew Dellavedova has been invited to attend the Golden Star Boomers Workout at the Australian Institute of Sport next week.The Workout, held from June 12 to 14 at the AIS in Canberra, is part of the selection process for the Boomers’ World Challenge against Argentina on June 25, 27 and 29 in Perth, Melbourne and Adelaide.Dellavedova has recently returned to his home town of Maryborough after completing his first season of American college basketball at St Mary’s College in California.