Kayla Alexander led Canada’s senior women’s national basketball team with 16 points and seven rebounds in their 72-57 victory over Senegal during the FIBA Olympic pre-qualifying tournament debut in Guadalajara, Mexico. Syla Swords and Delaney Gibb contributed 13 points each to the win.
Head coach Nell Fortner expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, emphasizing the importance of starting the competition with a victory. Canada showcased strong defensive play and dominance on the boards, particularly on the offensive end where they outrebounded Senegal 15-8. Tara Wallack’s four offensive rebounds were instrumental in providing Canada with extra possessions.
Swords’ early three-pointers set the tone for Canada, allowing them to establish a significant lead that they maintained throughout the game despite Senegal’s surge in the third quarter. The Canadian team excelled in the paint, outscoring Senegal 26-14 and shooting 52.5% from that area. Both teams scored 11 points off turnovers, with Senegal narrowly edging out Canada in bench scoring at 31-29.
Canada will enjoy a rest day on Tuesday before facing the Philippines on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET in their next tournament match.