The Canadian women’s basketball team emerged victorious with a convincing 83-53 win over Mexico at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament held in Guadalajara. This triumph brings Canada one step closer to securing a spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. In addition, Canada clinched the sole entry to the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2028, the final stage of qualification for the upcoming Olympic Games.
Kayla Alexander led the charge for Canada with 14 points, alongside four rebounds and three assists. Agot Makeer contributed 13 points on an impressive 5-of-7 shooting performance, adding three rebounds and three assists without a turnover.
The Canadian women dominated the tournament, finishing with a perfect 5-0 record after defeating Senegal, the Philippines, Mexico, and New Zealand before triumphing over the host team in the final match.
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. We did it in fine fashion today. I’m super proud of my team.”
Syla Swords contributed 12 points, while Yvonne Ejim delivered a notable 10-point, 17-rebound double-double. Ejim’s performance earned her a game-high efficiency rating of 22 and a plus-32 rating. Fortner highlighted the team’s defensive strategy, emphasizing the focus on limiting the opponent’s three-point shooting, which proved successful as Mexico only made 5 out of 26 attempts.
“Our defense creates our offense, and it did that in a big way today,” added Fortner, reflecting on the team’s cohesive play and strategic execution.