Kia Nurse erupts, Canada beat South Korea at FIBA World Cup

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Canada’s Kia Nurse. (Jessica Hill/AP)

TENERIFE, Spain — Kia Nurse poured in 29 points to lift Canada to a 82-63 victory over South Korea on Sunday in group play at the FIBA Women’s World Cup.

Miranda Ayim added 13 points for the Canadians (2-0), who are ranked a program-high fifth at the tournament.

Miah-Marie Langlois and Nirra Fields chipped in with eight points apiece and Nurse shot 60 per cent (6 of 10) from three-point range.

"We’re really trying to leverage our athleticism and speed and find those open looks because we do have some weapons outside the three-point line," said head coach Lisa Thomaidis.

Ji Su Park led the South Koreans (0-2) with 23 points and nine rebounds while Leeseul Kang added 17 points.

Canada opened the tournament Saturday with a 81-50 win over Greece. South Korea lost its first game, 89-58 to France.

"Coming out of the quick turnaround that we had from last night (versus Greece) to this morning, we came out with the right energy and the right intensity and a focus that allowed us to get out early in transition and score a lot of points and defensively be disruptive," Nurse said.

Canada used a 7-0 run to take a commanding 15-3 lead midway through the first quarter. South Korea answered with a small 4-0 run of its own to trim the deficit to eight points at the end of the opening quarter.

Canada exploded offensively in the second quarter, including a 17-0 run in which Nurse knocked down four consecutive three pointers on her way to 20 points in the frame. The Canadians entered halftime with a commanding 21-point lead at 45-24.

Canada kept up the offensive pressure in the third and went into the fourth up 61-40.

Canada outrebounded South Korea 47-29.

The Canadians take on rival France, ranked third in the world, on Tuesday in a first place battle for Group A and a bye to the quarter-finals.

France dispatched Canada in the quarterfinals at the Rio Olympics in 2016. The two met in a friendly last week, with the French beating Canada 72-68.

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