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The Naismith Notes: Women in Basketball Month Edition
To celebrate Women in Basketball Month, this week’s Naismith Notes will highlight what our Canadian women have been up to. From March Madness to overseas basketball and the upcoming WNBA draft, it is a busy time. Here’s the agenda for today:
- March Madness: Canadians in the Sweet 16, Aaliyah Edwards declares for WNBA Draft
- WBB Overseas Recap: Emily Potter, Kayla Alexander, Shay Colley, Bridget Carleton.
- Junior Academy: Nirra Fields spends some time with the girl's program.
- Award Season: Yvonne Ejim, Syla Swords, and Aaliyah Edwards earn honours.
- Upcoming Events: Nike Hoop Summit, FIBA 3x3W Qualifying
1. March Madness: Canadians in the Sweet 16
On the women’s side of the tournament, six Canadians remain in the Sweet 16. Emma Koabel (Duke), Brianna McLeod (Colorado), Cassandre Prosper (Notre Dame), Aaliyah Edwards (UConn), Roxane Makolo (USC) and Yvonne Ejim (Gonzaga) will all be trying to make it to the Elite 8 in their regions.
Of those six, Aaliyah Edwards and Yvonne Ejim have been the standout performers. Shortly after declaring for the 2024 WNBA Draft, Edwards averaged a double-double in her first two games of the tournament with UConn.
UConn won their first round game against Jackson State in emphatic fashion, 84-64. Edwards recorded 20 points, ten rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks. Their next game would be more difficult, beating a tough Syracuse team 72-64. Edwards finished with another double-double, scoring 11 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and another steal and two blocks. The UConn forward has been a dominant presence on the glass this season, and they will need that against their next opponent. UConn will face Duke on Saturday, March 30 at 8 pm ET.
Fans will see a Canadian clash with Emma Koabel on the other side for Duke. #7 seed Duke completed the biggest upset of the tournament when they took down #2 seed Ohio State in the second round. Koabel recorded an assist and a steal to help Duke get the win.
Gonzaga has been a solid story this season. The only mid-major left in the NCAA tournament, they now have a 32-3 record on the season going nearly undefeated in conference play. Ejim has been a standout star for the Bulldogs, averaging 20.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game on 60.8 shooting, 12th in the country.
As a part of the Senior Team that qualified for the Olympics back in February, her level hasn’t let up. In Gonzaga’s first round win over UC Irvine, Ejim put up 25 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, and one block. She followed it up with 17 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and one steal in a solid win over Utah to make the Sweet 16.
Ejim and the Bulldogs now face #1 seeded Texas on Friday, March 29 at 10 pm ET. Texas has been playing well without their star player Rori Harmon and will be a good test for Ejim and Gonzaga. To learn more about Yvonne Ejim and her story, read our feature on her here.
2. WBB Overseas Recaps: Looking Back
In our last Naismith Notes, we checked in on Bridget Carleton, Emily Potter, and Kayla Alexander’s performances overseas. Since then, SWNT Member Shay Colley joined forces with Kayla Alexander in France to play for Tango Bourges Basket.
Emily Potter and the Perth Lynx fell to the Southside Flyers in the game 3 of the WNBL Championship 115-81, but Potter had a solid season with the Lynx overall, earning her two Toyota Canada Player of the Week recognitions with Canada Basketball.
Carleton finished her season with Uni Gyor strong, including an impressive 41-point performance. As the WNBA season inches closer, fans can see Carleton in a Lynx jersey once again after she signed a two-year extension with the team.
3. Junior Academy: MadLove Workshop with Nirra Fields
With Canada Basketball’s Junior Academy in full swing, it was a great opportunity for the girls program to learn more about the Senior Women’s National Team (SWNT) and their Olympic qualification. Earlier this month, they participated in a MadLove workshop in Toronto, hearing from 2x Olympian Nirra Fields. Fields has been a mentor with the Junior Academy since the beginning of the year, spending time with the young players.
4. Award Season: Three Canadian Standouts
If you thought awards season was over, think again! Here are just some of the awards that three of our Canadian women have racked up over the last couple of months:
Yvonne Ejim: 2024 WCC Player of the Year, WCC Defensive Player of the Year, Academic All-District Team, Coaches All-American Region 5 Team, AP All-American Honourable Mention, Katrina McClain Award, Finalist
Syla Swords: 2023-24 New York MaxPreps High School Girls Basketball Player of the Year, Gatorade Player of the Year (New York)
Aaliyah Edwards: Katrina McClain Award, Finalist, Big East Double-Doubles Record (8)
5. Upcoming Events: Nike Hoop Summit, FIBA 3x3W Qualifying
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