Jenna O'Hea
Encyclopedia
Jenna O'Hea is an Australian professional basketball
player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Sparks
in the Women's National Basketball Association
and the Dandenong Rangers
in the Women's National Basketball League
. She is also a member of the Australia women's national basketball team
.
O'Hea was born in Traralgon, Victoria
. She grew up with two brothers Matthew and Luke. She played for the Nunawading Spectres in Victoria at junior level, and represented Victoria in U16, U18 and U20 levels before moving to the Australian Institute of Sport
(AIS). She also represented Victoria in netball
at the U16 Championships in New Zealand
. She graduated from Caulfield Grammar School
in Melbourne
in 2006.
O'Hea first played for Australia’s Junior National Basketball Team in 2003, and helped Australia win a silver medal at the 2007 FIBA Under-21 World Championships. She has since represented Australia at a senior level, including at the 2010 FIBA World Championships for Women in the Czech Republic, where the Opals finished 5th overall.
, based in Canberra
, in 2004-05 season. She first accepted with a scholarship with the Australian Institute of Sport
(AIS) in 2003.
In 2005-06, O'Hea moved back to Melbourne
to play for the Dandenong Rangers
and in her first season with her new club they finished the season as runners up. O'Hea played for Dandenong Ranges for two seasons before moving on to the Bendigo Spirit
during the 2007-08 season.
For the 2009-10 season, O'Hea made her move to the Bulleen Boomers
, where the team finished runner ups. In her first season with Bulleen, O'Hea scored 36 points in a 100-86 overtime win against the Fire
in Townsville, including making 10-14 from the field, 7-8 from three and 9-10 from the free-throw line. Her seven three-pointers was a franchise-record, and her 36 points was a career-high and franchise-second, now tied with teammate Liz Cambage
. O'Hea also had a franchise-third 11 assists against the Adelaide Lightning during this season.
O'Hea returned to the Boomers for her second season with the Bulleen Boomers after representing Australia at the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women
in the Czech Republic
. O'Hea and the Boomers become champions, despite a late season injury that nearly cost her from playing the final. O'Hea was announced in the WNBL's All Star Five with fellow teammate, the number 2 pick in the 2011 WNBA draft, Liz Cambage.
In June 2011, O'Hea signed with the Dandenong Rangers for the WNBL's 2011-2012 season. In her first game against the Boomers since joining their crosstown rival, O'Hea scored 24 points, with 17 in the first half, on 8-18 shooting, 2-2 from three, and 6-10 from the free-throw line. The Rangers put together an excellent first half and third quarter, leading 65-52 at three-quarter time, only to lose the game 76-81 after an amazing Bulleen comeback. O'Hea uncharacteristically missed two crunch-time free-throws late in the fourth quarter which allowed the Boomers to come back and win. Bulleen guard Johannah Leedham picked up a loose ball and hit a three-pointer on the shot-clock buzzer to send the Boomers in front, for the first time since the first quarter, with 49 seconds to go, 78-76.
then traded to Minnesota Lynx
).
O'Hea made her debut on 3 June 2011 at home against the Minnesota Lynx
, where she scored nine points off the bench, from 3-4 shooting from behind the three-point-line. Her first shot tied the game at 57 late in the third quarter, with another at the start of the fourth giving the Sparks a five point lead. Her final shot two minutes later gave ensured that the Sparks would have the lead for good, and Los Angeles won the game 82-74 in front of 13,589 at the Staples Center
.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
in the Women's National Basketball Association
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
and the Dandenong Rangers
Dandenong Rangers
The Dandenong Jayco Rangers are an Australian Women's Basketball League team based in Melbourne, Australia. Historically, they have been one of the more successful franchises in league history, but over recent years have struggled to make the playoffs, generally finishing 5th or below...
in the Women's National Basketball League
Women's National Basketball League
The Women's National Basketball League is the pre-eminent women's professional basketball league in Australia. It currently is composed of ten teams. The league was founded in 1981 and is the women's counterpart to the National Basketball League...
. She is also a member of the Australia women's national basketball team
Australia women's national basketball team
The Australia Women's National Basketball Team is the women's National Basketball team for Australia. They won Gold at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 2006 defeating New Zealand's Tall Ferns in the final match with a score of 77–39. They then followed it up with a gold medal at the 2006 FIBA...
.
O'Hea was born in Traralgon, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. She grew up with two brothers Matthew and Luke. She played for the Nunawading Spectres in Victoria at junior level, and represented Victoria in U16, U18 and U20 levels before moving to the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
(AIS). She also represented Victoria in netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
at the U16 Championships in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. She graduated from Caulfield Grammar School
Caulfield Grammar School
Caulfield Grammar School is an independent, co-educational, Anglican, day and boarding school, located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1881 as a boys' school, Caulfield began admitting girls exactly one hundred years later...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 2006.
O'Hea first played for Australia’s Junior National Basketball Team in 2003, and helped Australia win a silver medal at the 2007 FIBA Under-21 World Championships. She has since represented Australia at a senior level, including at the 2010 FIBA World Championships for Women in the Czech Republic, where the Opals finished 5th overall.
WNBL
O'Hea played made her debut playing for the AIS WNBL teamAustralian Institute of Sport (WNBL Team)
The Australian Institute of Sport compete in the Women's National Basketball League as a team of the AIS Athletes. They have won the WNBL Championship once, it was the 1998/99 WNBL Season....
, based in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, in 2004-05 season. She first accepted with a scholarship with the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
(AIS) in 2003.
In 2005-06, O'Hea moved back to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
to play for the Dandenong Rangers
Dandenong Rangers
The Dandenong Jayco Rangers are an Australian Women's Basketball League team based in Melbourne, Australia. Historically, they have been one of the more successful franchises in league history, but over recent years have struggled to make the playoffs, generally finishing 5th or below...
and in her first season with her new club they finished the season as runners up. O'Hea played for Dandenong Ranges for two seasons before moving on to the Bendigo Spirit
Bendigo Spirit
Bendigo Spirit is one of three Victorian basketball teams in the Australian Women's National Basketball League. The team, based in the regional city of Bendigo, Victoria, joined the competition from the 2007/08 season....
during the 2007-08 season.
For the 2009-10 season, O'Hea made her move to the Bulleen Boomers
Bulleen Boomers
-History:The Bulleen Templestowe Basketball Club was established in 1969 and after missing out in 1983 was accepted into the Women's National Basketball League, WNBL, in 1984. Applications were prepared and presented by Jan Collinson, who remained the club’s delegate to the League for many years...
, where the team finished runner ups. In her first season with Bulleen, O'Hea scored 36 points in a 100-86 overtime win against the Fire
Townsville Fire
The Townsville Fire are a basketball team competing in the Australian Women's National Basketball League . Since being established for the 2001/2002 WNBL season, the Fire have sustained community support, but on-court success has eluded them....
in Townsville, including making 10-14 from the field, 7-8 from three and 9-10 from the free-throw line. Her seven three-pointers was a franchise-record, and her 36 points was a career-high and franchise-second, now tied with teammate Liz Cambage
Liz Cambage
Elizabeth "Liz" Cambage is an Australian basketball player who plays for the Bulleen Boomers of the Women's National Basketball League and the Tulsa Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association . She is also a member of the Australia women's national basketball team.Cambage was born in...
. O'Hea also had a franchise-third 11 assists against the Adelaide Lightning during this season.
O'Hea returned to the Boomers for her second season with the Bulleen Boomers after representing Australia at the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women
2010 FIBA World Championship for Women
The 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women, the 16th edition of FIBA's premier tournament for women's national basketball teams, was held from September 23 to October 3, 2010 in the Czech Republic. Three cities, Ostrava, Brno and Karlovy Vary, hosted games...
in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. O'Hea and the Boomers become champions, despite a late season injury that nearly cost her from playing the final. O'Hea was announced in the WNBL's All Star Five with fellow teammate, the number 2 pick in the 2011 WNBA draft, Liz Cambage.
In June 2011, O'Hea signed with the Dandenong Rangers for the WNBL's 2011-2012 season. In her first game against the Boomers since joining their crosstown rival, O'Hea scored 24 points, with 17 in the first half, on 8-18 shooting, 2-2 from three, and 6-10 from the free-throw line. The Rangers put together an excellent first half and third quarter, leading 65-52 at three-quarter time, only to lose the game 76-81 after an amazing Bulleen comeback. O'Hea uncharacteristically missed two crunch-time free-throws late in the fourth quarter which allowed the Boomers to come back and win. Bulleen guard Johannah Leedham picked up a loose ball and hit a three-pointer on the shot-clock buzzer to send the Boomers in front, for the first time since the first quarter, with 49 seconds to go, 78-76.
WNBA
On 31 March 2011 the Los Angeles Sparks announced their signing of O’Hea. O'Hea was among three other new Australian inclusions who signed on to play in the WNBA with two of her Bulleen teammates, Elizabeth Cambage (pick 2, 2011 WNBA drafted by Tulsa Shock) and Rachel Jarry (pick 18, 2011 WNBA drafted by Atlanta DreamAtlanta Dream
The Atlanta Dream is a professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2008 WNBA season began. The team is owned by Dream Too LLC, which is composed of two Atlanta...
then traded to Minnesota Lynx
Minnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
).
O'Hea made her debut on 3 June 2011 at home against the Minnesota Lynx
Minnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
, where she scored nine points off the bench, from 3-4 shooting from behind the three-point-line. Her first shot tied the game at 57 late in the third quarter, with another at the start of the fourth giving the Sparks a five point lead. Her final shot two minutes later gave ensured that the Sparks would have the lead for good, and Los Angeles won the game 82-74 in front of 13,589 at the Staples Center
Staples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
.