Canada stages late-game comeback to defeat Serbia in women’s basketball
Led by Kia Nurse, Canada erased an 18-point second half deficit to beat Serbia 71-67 on Monday in Olympic women’s basketball.
Canada trailed the game 40-32 at halftime and 52-34 at one point in the third quarter. It wasn’t until the fourth that Canada’s offence started to heat up, outscoring Serbia 26-10 en route to victory.
Nurse led Canada with 25 points, hitting 7/11 field goal attempts – including 3/4 from three-point range. The 20-year-old, who is playing in her first Olympic Games, is no stranger to success on the big stage, shining at last year’s Pan Am Games and FIBA Americas.
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Canada’s (left to right) Tamara Tatham, Michelle Plouffe, Shona Thorburn and Katherine Plouffe leap in the air as they celebrate the game-winning shot to defeat Serbia in their preliminary round basketball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics Monday August 8, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Canada’s offence had its difficulties on Monday against a strong Serbian defence. Nurse was the only Canadian to reach double digits, although Kim Gaucher, Miranda Ayim and Nirra Fields each had eight points.
The win improves Canada to 2-0 in group play at Rio 2016 after defeating China 90-68 on Saturday. The team will face Senegal on Wednesday before a big game against the United States on Friday.
Canada grabbed a 6-0 advantage 90 seconds into Monday’s game and continued to lead for much of the first quarter. With 2:02 remaining, Serbia’s Ana Dabovic hit a layup to tie the game at 15-15. On the ensuing rush, Nurse hit a three to put Canada back in front and hit another with 11 seconds remaining. The quarter ended at 21-21.
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Canada’s Shona Thorburn drives to the basket against Serbia at the Rio 2016 women’s basketball tournament on August 8, 2016. (Photo: FIBA)
Serbia carried the momentum they gained in the final few minutes of the first quarter into the second, taking a seven point lead 3:37 in. Canada struggled to get its offence going consistently and trailed 40-32 at the half.
Canada’s scoring woes continued into the third quarter and fell behind 52-34. Nurse, who got Canada’s first basket of the quarter 4:08 in, led the team on an 11-0 run to cut Serbia’s lead to 52-45 with 1:05 left. The Serbians got a couple of late baskets to lead 57-45 after three.
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Canada opened the fourth on another 11-0 run, getting to within a point of Serbia with 5:28 to play. At 4:46, a Fields three-pointer tied the match at 59-59 and then, two-minutes later, Gaucher nailed a three to give the Canadians a 63-61 lead.
With 1:11 to go, Dabovic gave the Serbians a 67-65 lead only to have Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe hit a jump shot and drain a free throw to put Canada ahead by one with 48 seconds remaining. Miah-Marie Langlois secured the victory, hitting a three with eight seconds remaining.
