LILLE, France – Bridget Carleton and her teammates know their Olympic journey is not over.
Canada's women's basketball tournament has had a difficult start, with the team losing games to hosts France and world number three Australia in the group stage.
The team still has a chance to advance to the quarterfinals, though, and Carleton said that's what they're focusing on ahead of Sunday's game against Nigeria.
“It's still in our control,” the Chatham, Ont., forward said after Canada's practice Saturday. “One more game and you never know what can happen. So we're focused on that.”
The Canadians, ranked fifth in the world, can clinch second place in their group if they beat Nigeria by 10 points or more on Sunday and France beats Australia later in the day. A second-place finish guarantees a spot in the round of 16.
A third-place finish also has the potential to get them there, provided they are one of the two best third-placed teams in the 12-team, three-group tournament.
To finish in third place, they will still have to beat Nigeria, a team that sits in 12th place in the rankings and who surprised Australia with a 75-62 victory in the tournament opener. It was the first time in 20 years that the Nigerian women's team had won an Olympic title.
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The Canadians knew from the start how tough the opposition would be, Carleton said.
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“We have experienced the qualifying round, we know how good all the countries are,” he said. “In this tournament, they are there for a reason.”
Led by Ezinne Kalu, Nigeria have a tough opponent at the Olympics, scoring 43 points from turnovers and 29 from fast breaks.
The Canadians know what to expect Sunday, said forward Aaliyah Edwards.
“They're very physical, very aggressive, trying to prevent any entry,” he said. “So we just have to combat that by playing smart and playing physical, and using that more to our advantage than trying to beat physical with physical.”
Edwards, a rookie with the WNBA's Washington Mystics, leads Canada with four steals through the first two games.
Carleton scored a team-high 27 points and made five three-pointers in Thursday's 70-65 loss to Australia, tying the Canadian record for three-pointers made in a women's Olympic game.
“I love shooting threes, so I’m going to continue to do that,” the Minnesota Lynx star said. “We’re not a team that’s known for its ability to shoot threes and that’s something I can bring. And hopefully I can do that consistently on Sunday as well.”
Canada coach Victor Lapena wants his players to simply take a break before the clash with Nigeria.
The team has struggled to recover from adversity throughout the tournament and is looking to get back to basics in tough times.
“We have to be patient because we are two or three points behind,” he said after Thursday's defeat. “And now it is time to face the last part of the game with more wisdom.”
All members of Team Canada have extensive big-game experience, Edwards said, and they can use those lessons Sunday.
The 22-year-old from Kingston, Ont., will remember what she learned during the four conference championships she played in with the University of Connecticut.
“I think every one of those games, as a team, we all came together and played for the person that was next to us,” Edwards said.
“I think when I look back, I realize how much as a leader I helped my team be successful. I made sure that I was accountable to myself, but also to others. I think as long as we do that in this last game and get the win, we’ll be fine.
The Olympic journey hasn't gone the way the Canadians wanted so far, but the players still have confidence in themselves and each other, Carleton said.
“We’re going through some challenges right now, but we all support each other and we trust each other,” he said. “And I think we’re building on that.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2024.
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