The Olympic women’s basketball group stage saw Australia face off against Canada today.
In the first quarter, both teams opted for tough defense to drive their offense, with Canadian player Carlton performing well in the opening quarter and helping her team gain a lead. However, following this, the Australian team, led by Magbegor and Whitcomb, launched a counterattack, scoring a string of points to increase their lead by 7 points. The Canadians responded with a 5-0 scoring run, bringing the score to 18-16 in favor of Australia at the end of the first quarter.
For the second quarter, both sides maintained their defensive intensity. The Canadians scored an 8-2 run to take the lead, while the Australians narrowed the gap through continuous inside scoring. In the latter half of the second quarter, Australia regained the lead thanks to Talbot’s outstanding performance, whereas the Canadians fell into a scoring drought. At halftime, Australia led Canada 38-32.
Half-time statistics for both teams:
Australia Women’s Basketball Team: Whitcomb 10 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists; Magbegor 8 points, 2 assists; Talbot 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists; George 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist; Tololo 4 points, 3 rebounds; Maddeng 2 points, 2 rebounds; Jackson 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal; Smith 4 rebounds, 2 steals; Melburn 1 rebound, 1 assist; Borase 2 rebounds;
Canada Women’s Basketball Team: Carlton 9 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals; Alexander 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist; Nes 5 points, 1 rebound; Cole 4 points, 1 assist; Edwards 4 points, 3 steals; Aijounwa 2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal; Hill 2 points; Amireh 2 rebounds; Sworde 1 rebound, 1 assist;