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 on Monday.
Contributing to the win, Syla Swords and Delaney Gibb each added 13 points for the Canadian team.
Head coach Nell Fortner expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “It’s a positive start for us. Starting with a win is always encouraging. We displayed toughness and executed well on the boards. Senegal is known for their strong rebounding, so winning that battle was significant for us. Getting that initial win is a great feeling.”
Canada’s dominance on the offensive glass was notable, securing a 15-8 advantage over Senegal. Tara Wallack’s four offensive rebounds contributed significantly to gaining extra possessions for Canada.
Swords made an impact early in the game, sinking three three-pointers in the first quarter to help Canada establish control. Although Senegal mounted a challenge in the third quarter, Canada maintained its lead throughout the game, enjoying a lead of up to 17 points.
In the paint, Canada outscored Senegal 26-14, shooting at an impressive 52.5% from that area. Both teams scored 11 points off turnovers, while Senegal slightly edged Canada in bench scoring with a 31-29 lead.
After a day off on Tuesday, Canada will face the Philippines on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET in their next tournament match.