TORONTO, Canada – Angst and happiness reigned last night at the RYA Athletic Center after the National Women’s team of Canada overcame an early USA lead to beat this group of college all-stars 81-73 for their first Pan American Games basketball gold medal. The home crowd cheering madly for their team loved it. Those rooting for the Americans were disgusted despite a silver medal. And the Fans of women’s college basketball had to love the display by put on by the players from last year’s NCAA finalists: UConn and Notre Dame. They dominated this game on both sides
Before jumping into the game flow it must be noted that the USA team’s last appearance in the Pan American Games resulted in a 7th place finish. This, in hindsight can be considered a big triumph for Team USA just getting to the finals against mostly teams comprised of players at least 5-10 years older at each position. Despite all the verbiage, age, lack of experience, frustration, etc. this was a game the USA could have won or stolen.
USA Coach Lisa Bluder on how the USA almost beat the Canadian Women’s National team in the PanAm gold medal final.
It looked that way when the USA jumped out 5-2 as the UConn duo of Breanna Stewart and Moriah Jefferson came out scoring only to be matched by UConn teammate Kia Nurse. All looked good for Team USA after taking a 23-13 first quarter lead. And then the scoring dried up. The USA lead was cut into when Jefferson when down with 4:55 and the USA up one, 26-25. Kia Nurse beat down her defenders to rattle off 12 points in the quarter to tie the USA at 36 each at halftime. Jefferson (12) and Stweart (5 points, 6 rebounds) matched Nurse’s output of 17 for the half. The glaring stat was no scoring from Stewart in the second quarter when Canada made their run and only 3 points in the third quarter as Canada, went up 51-62 on the Americans getting 7 more points (24 pts). And then it started to get ugly as Nurse (16 pts in second half) and injured former Notre Dame star Natalie Achonwa (13 second-half points in 15 minutes played) put Team Canada on their backs into the fourth quarter when Stewart (team high 17 points, 9 points in 4th) came to life, getter the USA back to within 5 with 3:36 to go. The USA could not muster any defense for Nurse and Achonwa and the game slipped away.
USA center Breanna Stewart talks about the start of the game, the injury to Moriah Jefferson and the dog-fight with Canada in the finals of the Pan Am Games.
Make no mistake, this was a huge victory for the Canada Basketball, especially the women’s side as the men’s has failed to give their country the level of team success despite their NBA-talent level notoriety. This is two gold medal performances at the youth (u16 FIBA Americas gold over Brazil) and now the women’s Pan American Games prior to their big test in Edmonton next month at the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament. This is a far cry from the game plan outlined in Berlin in 1998 at the FIBA Women’s World Championships laid out by long-time Canadian star and former Olympic coach Bev Smith (Oregon) who served as an assistant to winning coach Lisa Thomasdis. They were physically stronger, better prepared and really expected to win this event despite the wonder woman expectations placed upon USA’s Stewart who led the team in scoring (17) and rebounding (11). The night belonged to Canadian women’s basketball faithful and it was gifted by Kia Nurse and company.
EVENT NOTES: In the preliminary game for 3rd place Cuba took the bronze with a 66-62 narrow win over a similarly physical Brazil. Both teams will have their National Women’s teams in Edmonton next month. The USA Women’s National Team will not be there having qualified as 2012 Olympic champion.
USA Coach Lisa Bluder talks about the USA team selection and knowledge they were all college players vs Canada’s National team and proud of their effort.
FIBA: The only other FIBA-level / International event on the USA Basketball calendar is the present-running FIBA u19 World Championships in Chekhov, Russia just outside the southern end of the Moscow ring-road where Coach Dawn Staley has her team heading into day three of competition undefeated. The semi-finals and finals are this weekend.
