Canada (CAN)
21/07/2015
News
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Nurse, home crowd propel Canada to Pan American Games glory

TORONTO (2015 Pan American Games/2015 FIBA Americas Women's Championship) - Canada Basketball is in the clouds like never before.

Playing in front of their own fans in Toronto at the Pan American Games and against their neighbors and great rivals, the USA, in Monday night's Final, the Canadians fought back from an early first-quarter deficit and prevailed 81-73.

Led by the 33 points of Kia Nurse, the recently crowned champion of the University of Connecticut, Canada clinched one of their most famous victories and now have a perfect platform to build on ahead of the FIBA Americas Women's Championship in Edmonton (9-16 August).

"It's a dream come true for these women and for our team," said Lisa Thomaidis, who is in her third year as head coach of the national team.

We finally had the opportunity to be the home team and win a gold medal on home soil. - Thomaidis

The USA stormed into a 23-13 advantage by the end of the opening quarter but the Canadians got off the canvas and outscored their opponents by the same scoreline in the second frame to knot the contest at 36-36 at half-time.

Canada then took command after the restart with a 26-point third quarter for a 62-51 advantage.

The lead grew to 18 points in the fourth quarter and Canada eased to victory.

Thomaidis could not be happier with the play of her team, and especially Nurse, someone she had so much faith in a couple of years ago that she took her to the FIBA Americas Women's Championship while still a high school star.

Nurse has been moving from strength to strength ever since, helping Canada to a fifth-place finish at last year's FIBA Women's World Championship and then playing an important role for Geno Auriemma's UConn in the 2014-15 season.

In Monday's title game, she made 10 of her 17 shots from the floor, including two of three from the arc.

Nurse was also 11 of 12 at the free-throw line.

"Kia has a heart of a champion," said Thomaidis.

"The biggest games, she rises to the occasion. She was unbelievable, just unbelievable.

"That was a pretty darn impressive performance, especially with the magnitude of the game.

"To have that kind of performance, I mean come on. Being 19 or 20, whatever she is right now, it's just astounding. It’s unimaginable really.

"It's amazing composure from quite a player."

Canada have a squad full of talented players, some who are at the start of their careers and others that have been in the wars for several years.

One of the veterans is Lizanne Murphy and she was ecstatic after Monday night's big win.

"This has to be one of the best days of my life," Murphy said.

"We wanted this win so badly."

The USA got a team-high 17 points from Breanna Stewart, a member of the USA's title-winning side at Turkey 2014.

Stewart and Nurse are teammates at UConn.

"Obviously, Kia Nurse played really well," Stewart said.

"She just came out and was doing everything, whether it was 3s, driving to the basket and getting and-ones, that kind of stuff.

"We had them for a second, and then they let the crowd and momentum get behind them and never really looked back."

 Canada must now win the FIBA Americas Championship on home soil in Edmonton to gain a berth in the Rio de Janeiro Games.

A second-, third- or fourth-place finish would clinch a spot in the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

The USA, by virtue of last year's title triumph at the World Championship, qualified for Rio.

In the battle for third place at the Pan American Games, Cuba edged Brazil, 66-62.

Ineidis Casanova, one of the veteran Cuban guards, had 18 points and power forward Clenia Noblet had an eye-popping 16 points and 14 rebounds.

Taina Paixao led Brazil with 16 points but she had a game-high seven turnovers.

"It was a very good and important experience to give continuity to the work [Brazil have been doing]," coach Luis Zanon said.

"Now we have to battle to correct errors and think about the commitments that lie ahead."

Both Brazil and Cuba will play at the FIBA Americas Women's Championship.

The Cubans beat Canada in the 2013 Final.

Go to fiba.com/Americaswomen2015 for complete coverage of the 2015 FIBA Americas Women's Championship.

FIBA