Elite talent awaits Canada in final Rio tune-up
Canadians will play France, Aussies, U.S. in New York area
The Canadian women’s Olympic basketball team is running with an impressive crowd.
In its final test before the Rio Games begin in less than two weeks, the team will face three global powerhouses in a series of exhibition games that is a testament to Canada’s growing global reputation, and its talent.
Canada faces five-time defending Olympic champion United States, London 2012 bronze medallist France and perennial medal contender Australia in the New York City area in a stern test leading up to the Rio Games.
“Just to get the invite to play in that tournament is a huge boost, absolutely,” Lisa Thomaidis, Canada’s head coach, said.
“It’s a compliment to the program and this team because it was not long ago we would not even have the opportunity to play against these teams. We were not one of the teams that teams wanted to play against because they knew they wouldn’t get challenged and pushed. “That’s a big step up.” Not to mention a solid litmus test for a team that harbours hopes of winning the first women’s Olympic hoops medal in Canadian history.
In the latest rankings from FIBA, the world governing body for basketball, the United States is ranked No.1, Australia is No. 2 and France is ranked No. 4. Canada is No. 9 despite a fifth-place finish at the 2014 world championships and a gold medal at last summer’s FIBA Americas tournament.
Canada faces Australia on Wednesday at 5 p.m. in Newark, Del.; plays the United States on Friday at 7 p.m.
“Just to get the invite to play in that tournament is a huge boost, absolutely.” CANADA’S LISA THOMAIDIS ON FINAL RIO TUNE-UP
in Bridgeport, Conn., and finishes its pre-Olympic preparation against France on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Madison Square Garden.
“You always learn more from your losses than you do from your wins — I’m not saying I anticipate that but we really need some tight, challenging games to raise our level of play (for Rio),” Thomaidis said.
Canada went 4-1 on an exhibition tour of Europe earlier this summer, including a victory over France, but this series of games will be against opponents at full strength and trying to peak for the Olympics; that was not the case earlier.
Canada will be bolstered by the addition of two key players. Kia Nurse (injury) and Natalie Achonwa (WNBA commitments) will be playing with the national team for the first time this week.
“You’re going to get everyone’s full roster and that was something in May and June you didn’t get,” Thomaidis said. “Despite some solid results, we played teams that were missing some players and so were we. For us, we have to get a little bit more comfortable now with Kia and Nat being in the lineup and playing against some top quality competition.”
Nurse has been recovering from sports hernia surgery and joined Canada on the court for its final training camp this week in Toronto.
“Obviously the timeline wasn’t what we were looking for, a little bit longer than expected, but I had to take care of it before the Olympics and come out ready to go,” Nurse said.
“It’s just back to practice now, back to basketball.”