Canada falls to Australia at Cup

Host Australia handed the Canadian women’s basketball team its first lost at the FIBA World Cup on Monday.

Ezi Magbegor scored 16 points as the Aussies topped Canada 75-72. Nirra Fields scored a game-high 17 points for Canada, while Bridget Carleton finished with 16 and Kia Nurse chipped in with 11.

Kayla Alexander had four points and 11 rebounds for the Canadians, who led 57-51 after three quarters.

The result created a logjam atop Group B with Australia, Canada and France all at three wins with one game left. Canada beat France 59-45 earlier in the tournament.

“We knew coming into this it would be a tough group for us,” Magbegor said. “We have another tough one tomorrow against Japan.”

Nurse drained a three-pointer that gave Canada a 63-60 lead just over three minutes into the final quarter. It was Canada’s final lead, hover, as Australia employed a smothering defence and pulled away. Magbegor recorded four of her game-high five blocks over the final five minutes.

“They just played really great team defence towards the end, and we made a couple mistakes and they really just punished us for it,” said Fields. “Overall it was a good game and we really fought hard.”

Despite the loss, Canadian coach Victor Lapeña said he was pleased with the performance in front of a raucous Australian crowd.

“We dominated the game in two periods and Australia dominated the game in two periods. Finally, we lost by three points. We were very close, and this is very important for our future because today we got to experience in this kind of atmosphere. I’m sure in the future when we have these kinds of games, or moments, we will be better.”

Canada closes the preliminary round against winless Mali on Tuesday.

The Canadians trailed by five in the early minutes, but closed the first quarter with a 15-5 run. Shay Colley’s three-pointer at the buzzer sent them into the second with a 25-14 lead. Canada extended its lead to14, but a19-0 run put Australia up 38-33 at halftime. Magbegor and Tess Madgen each had six points during that stretch.

“I knew (Ezi) would have his kind of game,” said Australia’s Sami Whitcomb, who had 15 points. “She showed up when we needed her in the biggest moment.”