Canada confirm roster for five game European exhibition tour

TORONTO (FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2017) - Canada basketball have confirmed the players that will be on board for a European tour which will form part of their preparations for the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2017.

Lisa Thomaidis will once again hold the coaching reins as Canada move on from the high-profile retirements of Lizanne Murphy, Tamara Tatham and Shona Thorburn in recent weeks, by ushering in a new generation of exciting talent.

Canada 12-player roster for 2017 European exhibition tour
Laeticia Amihere	Bridget Carleton	Shay Colley	Laura Dally
Saicha Grant-Allen	Ruth Hamblin	Samantha Hill	Alyssa Jerome
Miah-Marie Langlois	Katherine Plouffe	Michelle Plouffe	Jamie Scott

Selected from the first phase of the women's national team assessment camp, Canada will hand valuable senior experience to a glut of rising stars who have stood out at youth level for their country.

They include the likes of Alyssa Jerome and Laeticia Amihere, who may spearhead Canada at the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup in July. The latter is causing a sensation as she is only 15-years-old and can flush the ball sweetly.

"This first phase of training is focused on developing our next generation of athletes and assessing where we are globally," said Coach Thomaidis. "We'll play some of the best teams in the world in this tournament - which will help us set benchmarks - and determine what we need to build upon in phase two."

As well as emerging talent, there will be some experience with the Rio Olympics trio of Miah-Marie Langlois, Katherine Plouffe and Michelle Plouffe.

The five-game series tips off on Friday May 26 against Spain and the Canadians - who currently sit sixth in the Nike FIBA World Ranking Women - will then face 13th-ranked Japan in Torrelavega.

They will then head over to French soil and specifically to Bordeaux to take on 27th-ranked Montenegro on May 31, 3rd-ranked France and 41st-ranked Ukraine.

FIBA