The last Canadian women’s basketball team coach is having more success than the current coach at the Olympics.
A few hours before Canada fell to 0-2 in Olympic group play with a 70-65 loss to Australia, former head coach Lisa Thomaidis guided Germany to a 75-64 win over Japan and a 2-0 start.
The Germans now sit atop Group C and have clinched a quarterfinal spot under the guidance of the University of Saskatchewan women’s head coach. Thomaidis, a two-time U Sports Coach of the Year, was at the helm of the Canadian women’s program from 2014-2021 — after which she was replaced by current head coach Victor Lapeña.
Leading Germany in its win over Japan was two-time WNBA All-Star Satou Sabally, who finished with 33 points on 65- and 50-per-cent shooting from the field and distance. The impressive scoring performance was tied for eighth-most in a single women’s game at the Olympics.
Meanwhile, Luisa Geiselsoder chipped in with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Japan’s top performer was Maki Takada, who scored 15 points on three made threes with five rebounds. Saori Miyazaki and Saki Hayashi added 13 and 11 points, respectively.
It was a close game all the way into the early going of the third quarter, tied at 44-44, but a 15-5 run by Germany to end the frame worked as a catalyst for the victory.
UP NEXT
Japan will take on No. 6-ranked Belgium on Sunday at 5:00 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT.
That’s followed by Germany taking on the United States in its biggest test of the tournament thus far at 11:15 a.m. ET / 8:15 a.m. PT.
UNITED STATES 87, BELGIUM 74
The United States picked up its second win in the Olympics, but unlike the first victory, it was no cake walk.
After cruising to a 26-point win against Japan in their first game, the Americans were tested by a short-handed Belgium team, winning 87-74 in a contest much tighter than the final score suggested.
After leading briefly in the first half, Belgium drained a three-pointer with a little over six minutes left in the game to trim the American lead to seven.
The U.S. would create some extra breathing room late, ending the game on a 19-13 run.
WNBA All-Stars Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson led the United States scoring attack with Stewart pouring in 26 points and Wilson following not far behind with 23.
Wilson, a two-time WNBA MVP, also dominated on the glass, grabbing 13 rebounds, five of them being offensive. Stewart, the reigning WNBA MVP, wreaked havoc defensively, swatting away five shots, while also facilitating on offence with five assists and no turnovers.
With Julie Allemand absent, Emma Meesseman was the driving force for Belgium, scoring 24 points and dishing out three assists.
UP NEXT
The United States will take on Germany on Sunday at 11:15 a.m. ET.
Belgium will face Japan on Sunday at 5 a.m. ET.
FRANCE 75, NIGERIA 54
After cruising to a 21-point victory against Canada to open group play, France followed it up by doing the exact same thing, by the exact same score, to Nigeria on Thursday and subsequently clinched a quarterfinal spot.
The French led the ball game for all but 16 seconds and once the dust settled on yet another dominant performance, they walked away with a second consecutive 75-54 win.
Leading France was a pair of WNBA players, Marine Johannes — who finished with 15 points on five-of-nine shooting from distance to go with five assists — and Gabby Williams, who chipped in with 14 points, five rebounds, seven assists and six steals.
The French second unit was also effective, winning the bench-scoring battle 37-9.
Arguably even happier than France following the win was Canada, whose hopes of advancing themselves — despite a loss to Australia on Thursday and dropping to 0-2 — were kept alive thanks to the host nation’s big win.
It was a disappointing follow-up performance for Nigeria after stunning world No. 3 Australia in its first game of Group B action earlier in the week. Ezinne Kalu led the Nigerians on the day, scoring 18 points to go with three steals. She was joined by Murjanatu Musa who finished with 14 points and nine rebounds as Nigeria’s only other double-digit scorer.
France’s efficiency on the offensive end and physicality on the defensive end shone through in the victory. The host nation shot 52 per cent from the field and 36 per cent from beyond the arc — generating quality looks thanks to a commitment to ball movement, as evidenced by a 25-9 assists edge.
Meanwhile, France limited Nigeria to 32 and 21 per cent shooting from the field and distance while forcing 21 turnovers for 24 points.
UP NEXT
Nigeria will face Canada on Friday, who’ll be in desperate need of a win, at 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT.
Followed by France and Australia going head-to-head at 3 p.m. ET / noon PT.