Canada squeeze out Belgium to spoil the opening night party in Ostend

OSTEND (Belgium) - Canada held their nerve against Belgium to complete tense 61-56 first day triumph at the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Ostend.

A packed Arena full of locals had been hoping to get the party started early with a Belgian victory, but a slow start and some composure in crunch time from Canada put any celebrations on ice.

Turning Point: It may have been a tight game and loads of water went under the bridge after Belgium's opening. But nevertheless, starting out with a miserable 1-of-10 from the floor meant the home side were always playing catch up and while they got close to overturning a 15-point gap,  they couldn't quite get over the hump.

Game Heroes: It was a stereotypical team effort from Canada with nobody truly excelling, although Kia Nurse did sink 19 points, Kayla Alexander also racked up a smart 5-of-7 shooting effort that returned 12 points. 

Stats Don't Lie: A total of 19 turnovers was too many for Belgium who looked edgy in front of their supporters during the initial exchanges.

Bottom Line: Canada showed what a tough cookie they are and they didn't crumble. They have a real strong and consistent gear, offering all the usual solid attributes and a lengthy rotation. They will feel confident of finishing the job with a win on Saturday night. Belgium will be disappointed and left thinking of what might have been. They did at least rally and finish with a better second half and despite the loss, have some momentum for their matchup with Japan.

 
FIBA