Kayla Alexander led the scoring with 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds as Canada’s senior women’s national basketball team kicked off the FIBA Olympic pre-qualifying tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico, with a 72-57 victory over Senegal. Syla Swords and Delaney Gibb also contributed with 13 points each for the Canadian team.
Head coach Nell Fortner expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “I believe this is a positive start for us. Commencing with a win is always ideal. I felt we displayed toughness and excelled in rebounding. Senegal is known for their strong rebounding abilities, so winning that battle was significant for us. Securing our first win feels great.”
Canada’s dominance on the offensive glass was evident, holding a 15-8 advantage over Senegal in offensive rebounds. Tara Wallack’s contribution of four offensive rebounds significantly aided Canada in gaining extra possessions.
Swords played a key role in Canada’s strong start, sinking three three-pointers in the opening quarter. Despite Senegal mounting a comeback in the third quarter, Canada maintained control throughout the game, leading by as much as 17 points at one stage.
In terms of key statistics, Canada outscored Senegal 26-14 in the paint, shooting an impressive 52.5 percent from that area. Points off turnovers were equal at 11, while Senegal narrowly edged ahead in bench scoring, leading 31-29.
Following a day off on Tuesday, Canada will next face the Philippines on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET in the tournament.