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.
“I believe this is a positive beginning for us. Starting with a win is always encouraging,” stated Nell Fortner, the Canadian head coach. “Our team displayed toughness and strong rebounding skills. Senegal is known for their prowess in rebounding, so winning that battle was significant. It feels great to secure our first victory.”
Canada’s dominance on the offensive glass was evident, outscoring Senegal 15-8 in that aspect. Tara Wallack’s effort, with four offensive rebounds, played a crucial role in generating extra possessions for Canada.
Swords’ early performance, including three successful three-pointers in the first quarter, helped Canada establish control. Despite Senegal’s comeback attempt in the third quarter, Canada maintained their lead throughout the game.
In the paint, Canada outscored Senegal 26-14, shooting at an impressive 52.5%. Both teams scored 11 points off turnovers, while Senegal narrowly edged out Canada 31-29 in bench scoring.
After a day of rest on Tuesday, Canada will face the Philippines on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET in their next tournament matchup.