Marieme Badiane had game-high 13 points and France trounced Canada 75-54 to open its women’s basketball tournament at the Paris Olympics on Monday in Lille.
Shay Colley of Brampton, Ont., led the fifth-ranked Canadians with 11 points and six assists as they struggled with shooting and turnovers.
Canada held an 18-15 lead after the opening frame but couldn’t get anything going during disastrous second quarter that saw the French go on a 22-0 run before Bridget Carleton of Chatham, Ont., put in a shot from the paint.
The Canadians shot 33 per cent from the field across the game and coughed up 11 turnovers that led to 16 points for France in the first half alone.
Many Canadian fans punctuated the boisterous French crowd, including the men’s national team, who won their tournament opener against Greece on Saturday.
Canada’s women’s squad will face world No. 3 Australia on Thursday before closing out pool play against 12th-ranked Nigeria on Sunday.
The Canadians have four active WNBA players: Carleton (Minnesota Lynx), Kia Nurse (Los Angeles Sparks), Laeticia Amihere (Atlanta Dream) and rookie Aaliyah Edwards (Washington Mystics).
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Watch the women’s basketball group stage match between Canada and France. The Canadians are led by WNBA players Kia Nurse, Bridget Carleton, Laeticia Amihere and Aaliyah Edwards.
Canada’s Olympic roster
- Natalie Achonwa (Guelph, Ont.)
- Kayla Alexander (Milton, Ont.)
- Laeticia Amihere (Mississauga, Ont.)
- Bridget Carleton (Chatham, Ont.)
- Shay Colley (Brampton, Ont.)
- Aaliyah Edwards (Kingston, Ont.)
- Yvonne Ejim (Calgary)
- Nirra Fields (Montreal)
- Sami Hill (Toronto)
- Kia Nurse (Hamilton)
- Cassandre Prosper (Montreal)
- Syla Swords (Sudbury, Ont.)