SYDNEY (AP) — No one on Canada's roster was alive the last time the team won a medal at the women's World Cup. Now the Canadians are a win away from winning one for the first time since 1986, when they captured the bronze.
Kia Nurse scored 17 points to lead a balanced Canada team to a 79-60 win over Puerto Rico on Thursday in the quarterfinals. “It's really special,” Nurse said. “It's been a work in progress for us and we all felt the disappointments.
Quarterfinals have been our downfall for a long time and to be able to get over that hump ... I think our country is continuing to get really excited about basketball in the grassroots programs and this is just the start of what we can accomplish.” Next up is a matchup Friday with the U.S., which beat Serbia 88-55.
In other quarterfinal games later Thursday, China beat France 85-71 and host Australia downed Belgium 86-69. “This is a great accomplishment for Canada Basketball,” Nurse said. “It’s been a really long time coming.