BRNO, Czechia (July 21, 2025) — Canada fell just short of the podium at the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2025 on Sunday, dropping a 70-68 decision to Spain in the bronze medal game.

Canada led 15-10 after the opening quarter and built its largest lead of the game midway through the second, going on a 10-0 run to go up 26-12. Spain regained momentum and held a narrow 33-32 edge at halftime. The teams traded leads five times throughout the game, with Spain maintaining a slim 54-52 advantage heading into the fourth.

Despite Canada’s edge on the offensive glass (11-7) and near-even totals in second-chance points (11-10) and points off turnovers (15-15), Spain’s 54.6 per cent field-goal shooting proved to be the difference. Canada shot 34.2 per cent from the field.

Syla Swords led Canada with 20 points on 61 per cent shooting, including four three-pointers. She also added eight rebounds and three assists. Jasmine Bascoe contributed 14 points and three assists, while Avery Howell finished with 11 points and three assists.

After the game, Head Coach Marlo Davis acknowledged the disappointment but pointed to long-term growth.

“Spain is a seasoned team and country — they’ve been here many times,” said Davis. “We put ourselves in a position to win, both today and yesterday. A few things didn’t bounce our way, but we’ve got to learn from it and make sure that the next time we’re in these situations, the result goes our way.”

Though the team fell short of a medal, Davis emphasized the development across the entire tournament. Canada opened training camp on June 22 at Humber College in Toronto, beginning a month-long journey that culminated in Brno.

“I would definitely describe this journey as growth,” he said. “From the start of camp in Toronto to where we just finished, we improved our ability to compete and adapt to the FIBA style of play. We got better as time went on, and our pride in playing for Canada grew with each game. That feeling — the one we all have right now — is going to drive us to be better for years to come.”

Davis, who has coached within the national age-group program for several years, is confident in what lies ahead. This year’s U19 roster featured a 2024 Paris Olympian in Swords, along with several athletes already part of Canada’s senior women’s national team pool for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup next summer.

“The future is bright,” he said. “This group is already in a leadership position for those coming up behind them. I can only imagine where we’ll be in two, three, four years. They take so much pride not only in being great players, but in being leaders and ambassadors for the next generation.”

Canada finishes the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup 2025 in fourth place, following a strong run that included wins over Portugal, Nigeria, China, Korea, and Japan.