Recap The Court

Jacob Smith

The FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup just concluded and Carly Clarke guided her squad to a bronze medal, the second in the tournament’s history for Canada, and both coming from Coach Clarke led teams. After a stretch of the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, Globl Jam, and now the U19 Women’s World Cup through June and July, the one thought I have is Canada is in good hands.

Let’s start with the AmeriCup, and the emergence of arguably the story of the summer in Syla Swords. A 17-year-old playing on the Senior Women’s team, she made her debut at the AmeriCup and played really well, but that was just the start of Swords’ summer. Part of a team that won bronze, Syla came off the bench for Canada giving the team defensive intensity, and gained experience which showed weeks later as she took the floor with the U19 World Cup team in a chase for her second medal of the summer.

Syla scored 26 points in Canada’s bronze medal game against France at the U19 tournament, and all-tournament long she made her mark as one of the best if not the best player on the roster.

Playing alongside Syla, highly touted forward Toby Fournier made an impact on the U19 tournament with a historic 22 and 21 double-double in the quarter-finals to push Canada to a semi-final matchup with Spain and the opportunity to play for a medal. Everyone knows Toby’s dunking ability, but the defensive presence blocking shots and the height she provides on the boards only adds to her impressive skillset, and alongside many, I can’t wait to see Toby at the college level.

Between the AmeriCup and U19 World Cup, Canada hosted the second annual Globl Jam, which showcased a different group of young Canadian talent, highlighted by point guard Keishana Washington. Waiting for the day we get the combination of Keishana at the point and Syla playing as the two off the ball, we got a glimpse of Keishana’s composure and decision making running the offence for the Globl Jam silver medalists Team Canada. Her decisiveness, calmness in big moments, and ability to get a bucket when needed gives Canada something they can depend on, and when she’s surrounded by weapons, makes Canada a team that wont be easily shaken.

A five of Keishana Washington, Syla Swords, Cassandre Prosper, Aaliyah Edwards and Toby Fournier should give any Canadian fan hope for the future, and if you take away anything from this series of tournaments, it should be that the Canadian women’s program is deep and developing fast.