Kayla Alexander led the scoring for Canada’s senior women’s national basketball team with 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds in their opening game of the FIBA Olympic pre-qualifying tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico. Canada secured a 72-57 victory over Senegal on Monday.
Contributing to the team’s success, Syla Swords and Delaney Gibb added 13 points each. Head coach Nell Fortner expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, highlighting their toughness and strong rebounding against a formidable Senegal team known for dominating the boards.
Canada’s dominance on the offensive glass was notable, securing a 15-8 advantage in offensive rebounds. Tara Wallack’s efforts were particularly instrumental in generating extra possessions for the team.
Swords’ early three-point shooting propelled Canada to an early lead, with the team maintaining control throughout the game despite Senegal’s push in the third quarter. Canada showcased their strength in the paint, outscoring Senegal 26-14 and shooting 52.5% from that area. Both teams scored 11 points off turnovers, while Senegal narrowly edged Canada 31-29 in bench scoring.
After a day off on Tuesday, Canada will face the Philippines on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET in their next tournament matchup.