Tuesday, 10 May 2011

CANADA WOMEN DRAWS INTO GROUP B FOR FIBA AMERICAS CHAMPIONSHIP

NEIVA, Colombia – Canada Basketball’s Senior Women’s National Team (SWNT) is one of 10 teams that will compete at the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship for Women. In a live draw Thursday in the host city of Neiva, Colombia, Canada was selected to compete in Group B against Brazil, Mexico, Jamaica and Paraguay.


The Coliseo Álvaro Sánchez Silva in Neiva, Colombia,
will be the site of the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship
for Women. The arena has a capacity of 8,000.


The 11th FIBA Americas Championship for Women will take place Sept. 24-Oct. 1 at the Alvaro Sanchez Silva Coliseum in Neiva. This summer’s competition will also act as a qualifying tournament for the Summer Olympics, where the champion will compete in London, England, in 2012.

The countries that finish between second and fourth will compete at the 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifier Championship and have a chance to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics. The qualifying tournament is set for June 25–July 1, but the host is still to be determined.

“It is so exciting to finally see the draw for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. As always the Americas will be very competitive and there will be no easy games,” said SWNT Head Coach Allison McNeill. “We start our first training camp in 10 days and I know that our athletes are very determined and focused as we prepare for the tournament in Neiva, Colombia.”

The draw took place in the presence of top representatives of FIBA Americas, the Colombian Basketball Federation and the Huila department (province) government. The FIBA Americas Championship is comprised of two competitive groups, which are sure to make for some exciting basketball this summer.

Results of the draw:
Group A: Cuba, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Chile, Columbia
Group B: Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Paraguay

The SWNT will face some tough competition in the opening stage of the tournament. In Canada’s second game, they will play the defending champions, Brazil. In 2009, Brazil beat Argentina to claim their fourth gold medal, which is the most of any country in the FIBA Americas Championship.

Canada will be the lone representative from the North American sub-zone as the United States has automatically qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics by capturing gold at the 2010 World Championship for Women.

Overall, Canada’s SWNT has participated in every FIBA Americas Championship since its inception in 1989. In 10 previous tournaments, Canada has medalled seven times; winning six bronze and one gold. Canada was the first-ever host country to win gold in 1995 when the tournament was held in Hamilton, Ont. In the last championship in Cuiabá, Brazil, in 2009, Canada beat Cuba in overtime to claim the bronze medal.

Below is the SWNT’s preliminary round schedule at the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship for Women.

2011 SWNT FIBA AMERICAS CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE

Date and Opponent:
* September 24 - Mexico
* September 25 - Brazil
* September 26 - Paraguay
* September 27 - Bye
* September 28 - Jamaica

NOTE: All games will be played in Neiva, Colombia.

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