The 2014 women鈥檚 world basketball championship was a coming out party for Canada. The Canadians roared past France and China in the elimination round in Turkey, finishing fifth in Lisa Thomaidis鈥檚 world debut as the team鈥檚 head coach.
鈥淭hat 2014 worlds was really a huge moment for us,鈥� Thomaidis said. 鈥淚t was a bit of a 鈥榟ere we are鈥� kind of moment, like we鈥檙e coming on the scene and making people stand up and take notice.鈥�
The four years since their best world championship finish in 28 years have seen Canada solidify its spot among the world鈥檚 top teams, and on Saturday, Canada tips off the World Cup in Tenerife, Spain ranked a program-high fifth.
鈥淚 think we probably took some teams by surprise at that point in time,鈥� Thomaidis said. 鈥滲ut 2014, not too many expectations, and 2018 I would say there鈥檚 quite a few expectations.鈥�
Indeed, Canada has been mentioned as a legitimate medal contender. The team鈥檚 target is to win a quarterfinal game, a step the Canadians have not been able to take since the team鈥檚 bronze at the 1986 world championships.
It鈥檚 a far different team than took the floor four years ago. Several veterans retired after Canada鈥檚 heartbreaking seventh-place finish at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Several young players such as Kia Nurse, Nirra Fields and Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe have injected a big dose of athleticism. Once known as a strong defensive team, they鈥檝e allowed Canada to push the pace on both ends.
鈥淲e were holding our own (in 2014) with the past style of play, we were very disciplined at both ends of the floor, we weren鈥檛 playing with a very fast pace, but we were disciplined and we were locked in defensively,鈥� Thomaidis said. 鈥淚n terms of personality, in terms of style of play, we鈥檙e quite different from that 2014 team. Trying to play much more up-tempo, trying to extend our defence, and having some dynamic players on the roster certainly changed the way we鈥檝e been able to play, so that鈥檚 been fun.鈥�
The Canadians open the 16-country tournament versus No. 20 Greece on Saturday, then play South Korea (No. 16) on Sunday, and France (No. 3) on Tuesday.
Canada is taking no team lightly. The World Cup is 鈥渟uch a tough competition,鈥� Thomaidis said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no easy games, so it is tough to do well in this tournament, as it should be, it鈥檚 the world championships. Teams that do well have to string together a number of very very solid games, and there鈥檚 no chance to get through if you鈥檙e not playing really well. And that really applies to us. When we鈥檙e good, we can be pretty good. When we鈥檙e not playing well, we can be beat by anyone. So that鈥檚 sort of the challenge that we鈥檙e faced with right now.鈥�
Canada faces a Greek team that鈥檚 led by 39-year-old Evina Maltsi, a former WNBA player and Eurobasket MVP. Greece, said Thomaidis, can 鈥渞eally ride the emotion, and put together a very strong game.鈥�
The Canadians expect their stiffest test to come against archrival France, which dispatched Canada in the quarterfinals at the Rio Olympics. The two met in a friendly last week, the French fighting off a fourth-quarter rally to beat Canada 72-68. Neither country though showed its full hand.
鈥淭hey looked like they had a pretty small playbook 鈥� they really are just kinda playing with you, and seeing what you鈥檙e doing,鈥� Thomaidis said. 鈥滻 imagine that next time we play them it will be quite different in terms of the actions that they run, and the number of minutes each player gets and things like that. We鈥檒l see.鈥�
The 46-year-old Thomaidis was a longtime assistant to Allison McNeill before McNeill retired in 2013. She鈥檚 also a five-time Canada West coach of the year and two-time U Sports national coach of the year with the University of Saskatchewan.
Thomaidis鈥檚 professional playing career was cut short by a chondral fracture of the patella and femur while playing in Greece.
鈥淯nfortunate and unlucky, but at the same time super lucky,鈥� she said. 鈥滺ad that not happened, I wouldn鈥檛 be in coaching.鈥�
https://www.kelownacapnews.com/sports/canada-mens-basketball-to-play-china-in-b-c-next-month/
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