June 2, 2023 Victoria, BC – The Canadian Senior Women’s National Team dropped an 80-60 decision to Japan, the 2020 Olympic Silver medalists, in front of Canadian fans at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, B.C.
“Anytime we have a chance to play at home it’s amazing,” Team Canada veteran guard Sami Hill said. “Representing Canada in itself is a huge honour and to be able to wear the Canadian jersey in a Canadian city is something that doesn’t come by often, hopefully more and more in the future, but there’s no feeling like it. The fans were amazing. I could tell, as a team we were a little nervous but as the game went on we got it together. Always fun, [especially for] our first game of the season.”
Hill finished with 11 points in the game, to go with five rebounds and four assists. 17-year-old Syla Swords led Canada with a game-high 13 points, while Cassandre Prosper added 12 points, five rebounds and three steals and Aaliyah Edwards added eight points, six rebounds and a blocked shot.
Nako Motohashi led Japan with 12 points, shooting 4-for-6 from the floor, including 4-for-5 from beyond the arc where Japan connected on 13-for-29 attempts from deep. Mai Yamamoto added 11 points and Maki Takada added 10 in the win.
“Japan is an amazing team,” Hill said. “One of the best in the world. We know they can really shoot the three and that’s what they did tonight — for us, we just have to take care of the ball. It’s a lot of little fixes, maybe even mental fixes. Game by game we’ll get better.”
After shooting 55 per cent in the opening quarter, things flipped in the second. Japan took advantage of Canada’s shooting woes to win the quarter 21-6, using a 10-0 run to jump in front by double figures until a layup from Edwards and then a turnaround jumper from Swords to close the half brought Canada within seven at the halftime break.
“Oh my feelings were good, especially in the beginning of the game,” Team Canada head coach Víctor Lapeña said. “I think the first period the team played well. We had good options. We were fresh to find some solutions, but Japan… They started practicing almost two months ago. We have, I think it’s the second week together so with a lot of young players, I’m very happy. I’m very happy with the attitude.”
The third quarter was much more balanced as Canada was outscored by just two points, but whenever the Canadians did threaten to close the gap, Japan would respond to maintain their lead. After Stephanie Mawuli and Swords traded three-pointers, Japan scored seven straight points to go back in front by double figures until a score from Yvonne Ejim with 2:13 remaining in the quarter. Canada closed the quarter with a three-pointer from Ejim to go into the fourth trailing by nine.
In the final quarter, Edwards opened the scoring with a jumper to get Canada within seven, but free throws and then a layup from Anri Hoshi to extend the lead back to 11. When a free throw from Edwards got Canada within 10 points, Japan went on another run, this time scoring nine straight to stretch the lead to 19 points with 4:36 remaining. They went on to victory from there.
“It was a very, very good occasion and opportunity to see how some players are able to express on the court against Japan, silver medalists from the [Olympic] Games,” Lapeña said. “Now we have to work to fix something and keep working.”
Lapeña was especially pleased with the experience the exhibition game will provide for the youngest players on the roster.
“This is the kind of experience they need to grow up,” he said. “It’s not fair if I call them to the senior team to play, to practice with us and they don’t have an opportunity. These minutes are gold. This time is gold for them. I’m sure in the future they will lead the Canada Senior [Women’s] Team. It looks like a bright future for us. I’m very happy. I think they did great.”
