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Canada Basketball

Senior Women’s National Team to train in France next week, will face ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq in exhibition action

TORONTO (February 3, 2023) – Canada Basketball announced today the 12 players participating in a Senior Women’s National Team training camp next week, Feb. 5-12, in Villeneuve d’Ascq, France.

The team will train at the Le Palacium, home to ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq, who currently sit tied for first atop the FFBB LFB (Ligue Feminine de Basketball) standings.

“Being able to take full advantage of this window by having the chance to train together again, is extremely important to us as we continue our growth and development as a program,” said Denise Dignard, General Manager / Executive Vice-President, Women's High Performance.  “On behalf of Canada Basketball and our Senior Women’s National Team players, coaches and staff, I’d also like to extend my sincere appreciation and gratitude to ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq for giving our team the opportunity to train there next week.”

In addition to training camp, Canada will also face ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq in a two-game exhibition series, Feb. 11-12.

This camp is an opportunity to bring together both members of the Senior Women’s National Team player pool, as well as NextGen age-group athletes, to continue their development, both as a program and individually.

“After a successful camp in November in Toronto, we’re looking forward to getting back together next week in France and re-connecting as a team as we continue to build,” Víctor Lapeña, Head Coach, Senior Women’s National Team.  “The FIBA Women’s AmeriCup later this summer not only presents an opportunity for us to get back on the podium, but take another step towards the Paris 2024 Olympics.”  

With the majority of attendees currently playing professionally overseas, the decision was made to host the camp in France to not only maximize the amount of training time together during the International Window for Women's Basketball as scheduled by FIBA, but to also give the team an opportunity to gain valuable experience against one of France’s top professional programs.

After attending camp in November, team captain Natalie Achonwa is unavailable for this camp as she is expecting the birth of her child later this year.

Coming off a fourth place finish at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022, the team's best finish at the World Cup since a third-place finish in 1986, the Senior Women’s National Team is now looking ahead to this summer’s FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2023, which will run July 1-9 (location TBD).

For the NextGen age-group athletes in attendance, this camp will be yet another opportunity for them to not only gain familiarity with the Senior Women’s National Team players, coaching staff and style of play, but also experience they’ll be able to take back to their respective age-group teams as they represent Canada this summer and look further ahead to the Paris 2024 and LA 2028 Olympic Games.

Canada’s Senior Women’s National Team is ranked fifth in the FIBA World Ranking Women, presented by Nike, after the rankings were updated following the conclusion of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022.