August 15, 2011
W-Basketball Summer Universiade Roundup
Women’s basketball: Russia uses size to down Canada
SHENZHEN, China (CIS) – The Canadian women’s basketball team fell into an early first-quarter hole and never recovered, losing 73-46 to Russia at the Luohu Gymnasium Monday morning at the 26th Summer Universiade.
Due to South Africa pulling out of their pool a week before competition began, the Canadians (1-1) are now done their preliminary round and await the result of the Russia (1-0) versus Poland (0-1) tilt on Tuesday to see if they advance to the quarter-finals.
“I thought our team battled really hard, but we just didn’t have an answer for 6-9, 6-6 and 6-5,” said Team Canada head coach Lisa Thomaidis. “Having never seen Russia play, we had to make adjustments on the fly; we played with a lot of heart and did some good things on the defensive end.”
Kendel Ross of Sarnia, Ont., was Canada’s leading scorer for the second straight game, finishing with 13 points, while Vernon, B.C.’s, Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe added 12. Milana Sumets led Russia with 11 points.
With the score tied 9-9 in the opening quarter, Russia closed the frame on a 10-to-2 run and never looked back, leading 34-19 at the half and 54-38 at the end of three.
The Canadians were held to just 26 per cent shooting (19-for-72) from the field, including 2-for-18 from outside, and made only 35 per cent of their free throws. Russia out-rebounded Canada 51-to-33, and comparatively shot 48 per cent (25-for-52) from the field while making 90 per cent of their free throws.
“We have an opportunity now to check out some of the other opponents in this tournament and get an idea of who we might play in the next round,” added Thomaidis.
Women’s basketball: Canada wins nail biter in opener
SHENZHEN, China (CIS) – The 26th Summer Universiade has been a showcase for the exquisite artistic beauty of China, but inside the Shenzhen Foreign Language High School Gymnasium on Sunday morning Canada’s women’s basketball opener against Poland resembled nothing of the Ming dynasty, as the Canadians squeaked out an ugly 52-50 win.
The Canadians (1-0) are back in action on Monday when they face Russia (0-0) at 10 a.m. local time (Sunday, 10 p.m. ET). A win by Canada or a loss by Poland (0-1) against the Russians on Tuesday will move Canada into the quarter-finals. The Canadians find themselves in a three-team pool as South Africa pulled out of the tournament a week prior to the start of the competition.
“We could have buckled in the fourth quarter, but I’m really proud of how the team played in the final moments of this game,” said Team Canada head coach Lisa Thomaidis. “In the first half I felt some people fell into some old habits, and the reality of playing at an international tournament is that the officiating will be more stringent than playing university basketball in North America, and our athletes need to adjust accordingly.”
Guards Justine Colley and Kendel Ross took Canada on their shoulders late in the fourth. With their squadron trailing 48-43 with just under two minutes remaining, Vernon, B.C., native Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe drained a runner to bring the Canucks back within three. Following a Poland offensive foul, Colley sliced into the lane, getting her lay-up to drop while being hacked on the arm, making the subsequent free throw to knot the score at 48-48.
After the Canadians forced a Poland miss, Colley, a product of Saint Mary’s University, again took the ball to the hole, putting Canada up 50-48 with only 48 seconds to play.
After the Canadians forced a Poland miss, Colley, a product of Saint Mary’s University, again took the ball to the hole, putting Canada up 50-48 with only 48 seconds to play.
“The seas parted in the lane, and I was told by our coaches in that situation to make something happen,” said the East Preston, N.S., native, who finished the game with 11 points. “We weren’t executing well throughout the game offensively, but we were able to pull together down the stretch and finish today.”
With 19 seconds left on the clock, Poland’s Joanna Kedzia came off the bench to connect on a 12-foot jumper to tie the game at 50-50.
With 19 seconds left on the clock, Poland’s Joanna Kedzia came off the bench to connect on a 12-foot jumper to tie the game at 50-50.
But while her team struggled to discover any offensive rhythm over 39 minutes, Ross took it upon herself to find a way to score, and the Sarnia, Ont., product cut up through the left side of the paint to drain the winning bucket with only four seconds to play.
“[The coaching staff] talked to us about ball screens and when to go to the rim, and I saw an opportunity and finished,” said Ross, who ended the morning with a team-high 13 points. “After the first half, we realized we had to play Canada basketball, and that was challenging on defence. We play tough, but we need to be better about picking our spots.”
In the first half, after being held to just two points over the opening four minutes and trailing 6-2, the Canadians generated a 9-0 run to take their first lead of the game at 11-6. Poland answered, taking advantage of eight first quarter personal fouls by Canada with a 7-0 run of their own to retake the lead. However Elle Kerfoot scored a lay-up at the buzzer to tie the affair at 15-15.
The second quarter featured more offensive woes on both sides. Canada held Poland to just 26 per cent shooting (6-for-23) over the opening 20 minutes, however committed 14 turnovers themselves and held a slim 26-25 lead as they walked back to the locker rooms.
The teams traded the lead twice in the third quarter, with Canada holding a 38-35 margin moving into the fourth.
Canada won in spite of 32 turnovers. Agnieszka Skobel led Poland with 15 points.
Source: CIS Communications
Source: CIS Communications
