Marieme Badiane had game-high 13 points and France trounced Canada 75-54 to open its women’s basketball tournament at the Paris Olympics on Monday in Lille.
Shay Colley of Brampton, Ont., led the fifth-ranked Canadians with 11 points and six assists as they struggled with shooting and turnovers.
Canada held an 18-15 lead after the opening frame but couldn’t get anything going during disastrous second quarter that saw the French go on a 22-0 run before Bridget Carleton of Chatham, Ont., put in a shot from the paint.
FIBA said the two points allowed, as part of a 23-2 period for France, was the fewest points allowed in any quarter of an Olympic game male or female.
The Canadians shot 33 per cent from the field across the game and coughed up 11 turnovers that led to 16 points for France in the first half alone.
Many Canadian fans punctuated the boisterous French crowd, including the men’s national team, who won their tournament opener against Greece on Saturday.
Canada’s women’s squad will face world No. 3 Australia on Thursday before closing out pool play against 12th-ranked Nigeria on Sunday.
The Canadians have four active WNBA players: Carleton (Minnesota Lynx), Kia Nurse (Los Angeles Sparks), Laeticia Amihere (Atlanta Dream) and rookie Aaliyah Edwards (Washington Mystics).
In other results, Nigeria earned its first win in women’s basketball at the Olympics since 2004, upsetting Australia 75-62 in their group play opener.
Nyara Sabally scored 16 points to help Germany turn its Olympic debut into a historic 83-69 victory over Belgium.
WATCH l Canada thumped by France in opening game:
France defeats Canada 75-54 in their opening game of the women’s basketball tournament at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Canada’s Olympic roster
- Natalie Achonwa (Guelph, Ont.)
- Kayla Alexander (Milton, Ont.)
- Laeticia Amihere (Mississauga, Ont.)
- Bridget Carleton (Chatham, Ont.)
- Shay Colley (Brampton, Ont.)
- Aaliyah Edwards (Kingston, Ont.)
- Yvonne Ejim (Calgary)
- Nirra Fields (Montreal)
- Sami Hill (Toronto)
- Kia Nurse (Hamilton)
- Cassandre Prosper (Montreal)
- Syla Swords (Sudbury, Ont.)