Argentina edge out Canada 61-59 in the semi-finals of FIBA Americas C’Ship for Women
When the 2011 FIBA Americas C’Ship for Women started nearly a week ago, not many people gave Canada a chance to reach the finals.
With teams like Argentina and Brazil in the way, it is always difficult to do that.
On Friday, September 30, 2011, the Canadian women were a whisker away from proving their detractors wrong. What came in their way though, were the five consecutive points in the last 11 seconds of the game that pushed Argentina past Canada 61-59 in the first semifinal of the FIBA Americas Championship women's basketball tournament.
The heart breaking loss ended an incredible run, which saw Team Canada qualify for the 2012 London Olympics qualifying round, to be held in June.
Paula Reggiardo was the top scorer on the night with 18 points on 7 for 13 shooting from the field, including 4 for 8 from three-point range. The Argentinean shooting guard also grabbed three rebounds and had three steals while power forward Carolina Sanchez recorded a double-double with a game-high 10 rebounds and 13 points.
The Canadians were led by Chelsea Aubry with 14 points, on a 6 of 9 shooting, and five rebounds. Lizanne Murphy also added 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Canada, who were held to only 38.3 per cent shooting from the field by Argentina.
The Argentineans got off to a superb start. The South Americans opened the game with a 17-6 spurt and after Canada scored the next four points to trim the deficit to seven, 17-10, found two successive threes from Reggiardo and Pavon to end the opening quarter at 23-10.
In the second quarter, Aubry began to show her speed and Canada started to pull back. The player scored six of her points in the quarter as Canada outscored Argentina 18-13, trimming their first quarter deficit to eight points, 36-28, at halftime.
After holding the Argentineans in the second, the Canadians stormed right back into the contest in the third. They limited Argentina to only seven points, making it a three-point contest, 43-40, at the end of the quarter.
The Canadians started the fourth frame on an Ayim layup to make it a one point game. The Argentineans however responded swiftly with a seven point burst and took hold of the game. What followed from Canada was an 11 point unanswered run which put them in the driver’s seat at 54-50, only 2:57 remaining.
Argentina, stunned by the sudden onslaught, tried hard in the next two and half minutes to pull back. However every move they made was countered and the game entered its last 11 seconds with the ball in Sanchez’s hands and Argentina trailing by 56-59. She knocked down a three at that point to tie the game.
Canada had a chance to go ahead but Marina Cava stole the ball with five seconds to go and then made a game winning shot from inside the paint to give Argentina the lead. Canada still had a shot, but Thorburn missed a 3-pointer right at the buzzer.
The Canadians clearly had two fouls in the last moments but the referees failed to make a call.
Canadian head coach Allison McNeill was not happy with the decision of the referee, "Very disappointed with the non-call at the end of the game," "We knew they were going to foul and they were trying to give one and the refs unfortunately didn't make the call.”
Tags: