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Late Rally Propels China Past Canada at Four Nations
The Senior Women’s National Team (SWNT) fell 70-65 to China at the Four Nations Women’s Basketball Tournament. The loss puts Canada’s record at 3-2, with both losses having come at the hands of the same Chinese squad.
Team China opened the day with a 12-2 run, but Canada roared back and answered with a 12-0 run of its own to pull into the lead. A late layup and a pair of free throws gave China a 16-14 edge at the end of the first quarter. The match settled into a less frantic rhythm as the two teams played more evenly in the second quarter. A late three-pointer from Tamara Tatham gave Canada a 33-31 advantage at halftime.
A fairly quiet third quarter saw balanced play from both sides. The teams finished with 12 points-a-piece in the frame as Canada held on to its two-point lead. The SWNT had chances to close-out China in the game’s final frame, but a determined Chinese squad fought back to push ahead and hang on for the close victory.
Kim Smith of Mission, B.C. led the Canadian attack with 17 points scored on an efficient 7-of-9 performance. Krysten Boogaard made the most of her 14 minutes on the floor with an 11-point, six-rebound night. Smith and Miranda Ayim also collected six each with Canada holding a 35-27 edge in rebounding. The game’s statistics can be viewed here.
Head coach Lisa Thomaidis complimented her team’s play and appreciated the match as a valuable lesson from which her squad will learn. “It was a tremendous battle from start to finish. The lead changed hands numerous times and we had opportunities to win it, but unfortunately a few miscues at the end and a couple of missed shots made the difference in the game. We're so proud of our team and the effort they brought forth tonight. To be in such a tight battle with a quality team with a strong home crowd presence was great for us in terms of our development and the overall experience.”
The SWNT will wrap up the Four Nations Tournament on Friday morning against Puerto Rico. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. (ET). Canada finished the first leg of this competition in the city of Daqing against this same Puerto Rican squad and emerged with a 64-45 victory.
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