U.S. edge Canada to claim women's gold at GLOBL JAM

Team USA has claimed GLOBL JAM Gold. Louisville Women’s Basketball, representing the USA Women’s U23 squad at GLOBL JAM, defeated Canada 68-66 in a gold-medal thriller at Mattamy Athletic Centre on Sunday.

After Shy Day-Wilson hit a step-back three-pointer to move Canada in front with less than a minute remaining, a three-pointer from Sydney Taylor gave Team USA the lead with 29 seconds remaining. Canada would have two quick looks at a three to win it, but were unable to connect from long range as Team USA escaped with the victory. 

After defeating France to win the gold medal at last year’s inaugural GLOBL Jam tournament, this year Team Canada will settle for silver.

Taylor led the USA with 15 points in the victory while Olivia Cochran added 14 points and six rebounds. Nina Rickards added nine points and 10 rebounds.

Keishana Washington was phenomenal for Canada in the loss, scoring a game-high 25 points on just 18 field goal attempts. Phillipina Kyei added nine points, a game-high 12 rebounds and three blocked shots and Shy Day-Wilson had 10 points.

“They’re such talented players,” Team Canada head coach Krista Eniojukan said. “Keishana Washington, this is the first time she’s played at home in five years [after spending the past five seasons at Drexel University]. How special is that?

“It’s hard to follow her in Philadelphia,” Eniojukan continued. “You just hear she keeps putting up big numbers but now you see how dynamic [she is]. She’s a three-level scorer. She’s geting downhill, she’s getting to her pull ups, she’s getting to her threes. She’s really a phenomenal player.”

The final was close throughout as neither team led by more than nine points. 

Canada led 13-10 after the first quarter with both teams struggling to score as the teams combined to shoot 10-for-33 from the floor. Team USA opened the second quarter on a 14-2 run to take a 24-15 lead after a layup for Eylia Love with 7:30 remaining in the half.

Keishana Washington scored Canada’s next six points as she trimmed the deficit to five, 26-21, with 4:01 remaining in the half. A three-pointer from Washington brought Canada within three, and then Washington tied the game on a turnaround jumper with 45 seconds remaining in the half. Russell scored a last-second layup to move Team USA back in front by two, 34-32 at the break.

Canada dialled up the defensive effort to start the second half as Tara Wallack and Niyah Becker blocked back-to-back attempts from the USA and Washington scored the first points of the second half with a jumper to tie the game with 7:20 remaining in the quarter. 

In a reversal of the second quarter, Canada opened the third on a 13-3 run to move back in front as Washington went back to work. After back-to-back threes from Sarah Te-Biasu and Washington, Canada led 45-37 with 3:23 remaining in the third.

A layup for Russell brought the USA within six. After the teams traded baskets, Washington connected on a pair of free throws with 16.7 seconds remaining in the third to make it 49-42 until Olivia Cochran scored at the buzzer as Canada took a five-point lead into the fourth.

Jayda Curry scored the first five points of the fourth for Team USA, tying the game at 49 points apiece with 8:56 remaining. Wallack found Kyei inside for a layup plus the foul. Kyei made the free throw to complete the three-point play and move Canada back in front by three with 8:12 remaining.

After a pair of free throws for Washington, Canada’s lead was three with 7:35 remaining until Kiki Jefferson scored inside to bring the USA within a point. A three from Niyah Becker extended the advantage to four points for Canada and then Day-Wilson found Kyei inside to extend the advantage to six.

Back-to-back buckets for Nyla Harris and Jefferson brought Team USA within two. Cochran tied the game at 61 with 2:10 remaining.

After a foul was called on Washington, Curry made a pair of free throws to move USA in front by two, 63-61 with 1:37 remaining. Day-Wilson tied the game with a pull-up jumper, but Cochran scored inside to put the USA up one with a minute remaining. 

Day-Wilson’s step-back three had Canada in front, but Taylor’s three sealed the victory, and the gold, for Team USA.

Despite the hard-fought loss, Washington was thrilled to get to show out at home in front of friends and family after lighting up the scoreboard at Drexel where she became the all-time leading Canadian scorer in NCAA history this past season.

“I consider myself an underrated player, because of where I went to school, I fell under the radar,” Washington said. “I think this tournament allowed me to put on a show and show everyone what I'm capable of doing on a national level like this. I’m looking forward to my next steps, I’m going pro so I’m looking forward to what’s ahead.”

While Washington is headed for Poland this season after inking her first pro contract, she won’t soon forget getting to suit up for Canada in Canada this summer.

“It was a great experience overall,” she said. “Getting to represent your country is always a great thing. I’m glad I got to be here and play in front of a home crowd. I haven’t gotten to do that in five years so it was an awesome, awesome tournament.”