Canada wins opening game of 2022 Women’s Basketball World Cup

Kayla Alexander (Twitter)

Team Canada has won its opening game of the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Sydney, Australia. The Canadian squad defeated Serbia 67-60.

Three Canadians reached double digits in scoring. Center Kayla Alexander of Milton, Ontario led Canada with 13 points. Guard Nirra Fields of Vancouver, British Columbia had 12 points, and power forward Natalie Achonwa of Toronto, Ontario had 10 points. Achonwa led Canada with eight rebounds, and guard Kia Nurse of Hamilton, Ontario led Canada with three assists.

Alexander played last year professionally for BC Castors Braine in Belgium. Fields plays for Izmit Belediyespor in Turkey. Achonwa plays for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA, and Nurse plays for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. This was Nurse’s first game back after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right leg in game four of the 2021 WNBA semifinal series between the Lynx and Las Vegas Aces.

Also in Sydney on Thursday, China pounded South Korea 107-44, the United States beat Belgium 87-72, Puerto Rico beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 82-58, France beat Australia 70-57, and Japan beat Mali 89-56. Canada is in Group B and will play France on Friday. The next three games will be tough for Canada. France are the reigning Olympic bronze medalists, Japan (Canada’s opponent on Sunday) are the reigning Olympic silver medalists, and Australia (Canada’s opponent on Monday) are the 2006 FIBA Women’s World Cup champions, and have won three Olympic silver medals since 2000. It will also make things challenging for Canada that Australia is the host team.

 

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