The Canadian women’s basketball team emerged victorious with an 83-53 win over Mexico in the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament held in Guadalajara. This win brings Canada one step closer to qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Canada has also secured the sole spot in the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2028, the final phase for Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games qualification.
Kayla Alexander led the charge for Canada with 14 points, along with four rebounds and three assists. Agot Makeer contributed 13 points on a 5-of-7 shooting performance, adding three rebounds and three assists without any turnovers.
The Canadian women dominated the tournament with a flawless 5-0 record, triumphing over Senegal, the Philippines, Mexico, and New Zealand before clinching the title against the host team for the second time.
Head coach Nell Fortner expressed her satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “The goal all summer long was to win this tournament, and we did that. I’m super proud of my team. We had young players and veterans who had to come together and play together for the first time. I thought we really gelled well, and it all came to fruition today.”
Syla Swords contributed 12 points, while Yvonne Ejim put up a double-double with 10 points and 17 rebounds. Ejim also added two assists and a block, achieving a game-high efficiency rating of 22 and a plus-32 rating.
Fortner highlighted the defensive strategy, stating, “We played them differently defensively, and it really shut down their offense. Our defense creates our offense, and it did that in a big way today.” The team’s focus on limiting three-pointers proved effective, holding the opponents to 5-for-26 from beyond the arc, ultimately making a significant impact on the game’s outcome.