| FINAL STANDINGS 1. U.S.A. 2. Soviet Union 3. CANADA 4. Czechoslovakia 5. China 6. Cuba 7. Bulgaria 8. Hungary 9. Australia 10. Korea 11. Brazil 12. Chinese Taipei | CANADIANS Lynn Polson (St. Catharines, Ont.) Misty Thomas (Los Angeles, California) Anna Pendergast (Kensington, P.E.I.) Debbie Huband (Ottawa, Ont.) Carol Hamilton (Sudbury, Ont.) Janet Fowler (Victoria, B.C.) Bev Smith (Armstrong, B.C.) Lori Clarke (Abbotsford, B.C.) Merelynn Lange (Port Severn, Ont.) Sandy Espeseth (Maple Ridge, B.C.) Andrea Blackwell (Calgary, Alta.) Beth Cochran (Hamiota, Man.) Karla Karch (Vancouver, B.C.) Wayne Hussey – coach Peter Campbell – coach |
| POOL B | USA | CZE | CHN | HUN | AUS | TPE | Record | ||
| United States | —– | 89-61 | 99-74 | 78-63 | 76-50 | 105-52 | (5-0) | ||
| Czechoslovakia | 61-89 | —– | 80-74 | 78-61 | 55-50 | 84-60 | (4-1) | ||
| China | 74-99 | 74-80 | —– | 90-63 | 77-57 | 93-45 | (3-2) | ||
| Hungary | 63-78 | 61-78 | 63-90 | —– | 79-77 | 77-57 | (2-3) | ||
| Australia | 50-76 | 50-55 | 57-77 | 77-79 | —– | 63-55 | (1-4) | ||
| Chinese Taipei | 52-105 | 60-84 | 45-93 | 57-77 | 55-63 | —– | (0-5) | ||
| POOL A | SOV | CAN | CUB | BUL | KOR | BRZ | Record | ||
| Soviet Union | —– | 77-76 | 86-82 | 94-66 | 90-41 | 103-95 | (5-0) | ||
| Canada | 76-77 | —– | 63-62 | 67-63 | 55-49 | 82-75 | (4-1) | ||
| Cuba | 82-86 | 62-63 | —– | 77-76 | 83-55 | 93-78 | (3-2) | ||
| Bulgaria | 66-94 | 63-67 | 76-77 | —– | 74-63 | 82-72 | (2-3) | ||
| Korea | 41-90 | 49-55 | 55-83 | 63-74 | —– | 71-69 | (1-4) | ||
| Brazil | 95-103 | 75-82 | 69-71 | 72-82 | 78-93 | —– | (0-5) | ||
| 9-12th | Korea 85 Chinese Taipei 54 | |
| 9-12th | Australia 72 Brazil 57 | |
| 5-8th | China 88 Bulgaria 73 | |
| 5-8th | Cuba 74 Hungary 72 | |
| Semi | U.S.S.R. 78 Czechoslovakia 67 | |
| Semi | United States 82 Canada 59 | |
| 11th | Brazil 92 Chinese Taipei 57 | |
| 9th | Australia 60 Korea 50 | |
| 7th | Bulgaria 79 Hungary 75 | |
| 5th | China 102 Cuba 86 | |
| Bronze | Canada 64 Czechoslovakia 59 | |
| Final | United States 108 U.S.S.R. 88 | |
Canada led Bulgaria by 17 and then hung on for a 67-63 victory. Bev Smith paced Canada with 21. Smith, 26, a member of the national team the last eight years, provided the steadying influence that produced a Canadian win over the Bulgarians for the first time ever in a world or Olympic competition. Centre Andrea Blackwell of Kingston, Ont., added 13 points and guard Misty Thomas of Windsor, Ont., scored 12 in a game dominated by Canada despite the close score. “It was really satisfying to beat the Bulgarians for the first time in a major competition like this,” said Smith. Coach Wayne Hussey used just seven players, substituting freely throughout the contest with Smith and another eight-year veteran, Debbie Huband.
Canada edges South Korea 55-49. Trailing by three points after a lacklustre first half, Canada’s national team got untracked early in the second half and pulled out the win. “This was a real physical game for us and we played poorly, especially on defence,” said Canadian coach Wayne Hussey. “When you win even though you’re playing poorly, then that’s a good sign.” Forward Bev Smith of Salmon Arm, B.C., and guard Misty Thomas of Windsor, Ont., provided most of the Canadian offence with 17 points each. Thomas, a veteran of the 1984 Olympic team who missed all of last season with a knee injury, said the Koreans posed problems because of their style of play. “It’s hard to play defence against them because they play a perimeter game,” said Thomas. “We’re used to getting help inside, but playing against the Koreans that doesn’t work.” The South Koreans hit 10-22 from the arc.
Cuba missed two free throws in the final seconds to allow Canada to escape with a 63-62 win. Misty Thomas scored the winning free throws in the final seconds. Canada jumped to an early 13-point lead against Cuba and led throughout the game until the Cubans tied the score at 61-61 with just two minutes remaining. A foul against Thomas, 22, proved costly, however, as the young veteran sank both free throws to put Canada ahead, 63-61. Cuba had a chance to tie the game after a Canadian foul in the dying seconds but the shooter hit just one of two free throws. “We we’re able to play our game plan,” said Canadian coach Wayne Hussey. “For the third game in a row we won the boards.” Eight-year veteran Debbie Huband dominated the boards to give Canada control of the ball throughout. Bev Smith, of Salmon Arm, B.C., and Thomas led the team scoring for the second consecutive game with 16 points apiece. Lori Clark of Abbotsford, B.C., had 10 points. Centre Andrea Blackwell, of Kingston, forward Anna Pendergast of Kensington, P.E.I., and guard Lynn Polson of St. Catharines also played strongly for Canada.
Canada loses 77-76 to Russia despite 27 points by Bev Smith and 26 from Misty Thomas. “No Canadian women’s team has ever been that close to the Soviet Union in major competition,” said Ross Wilson, president of Basketball Canada. The Canadian team matched its much bigger opponent point-for-point during the first five minutes of play. But the Soviets recovered and maintained a comfortable lead until Thomas hit two free throws, with 27 seconds remaining, to bring the pesky Canadians to within one point at 77-76. The Canadians, however, didn’t get their hands on the ball again as the Soviets ran out the clock to win the game and qualify for the semifinals. “This was the first game that we didn’t out-rebound the opponent,” said Thomas. “The Soviets have so many big players and they all play well in different positions.” Canadian coach Wayne Hussey of Orleans, Ont., said his team played its best game of the tournament. “We really made the Soviets work hard, but we gave up too many three-point baskets in the first half.”
Against Brazil, Canada prevailed 82-75. Bev Smith hit a three pointer with 10 seconds to play to knot the score at 69 and force overtime. Andrea Blackwell scored 15, Bev Smith 13 and Carol Hamilton 12. Canada had already qualified for the semis, so “it was a nothing game and the team was a little flat,” said coach Wayne Hussey. The Canadians had led for most of the affair until they relinquished a large rally to the Brazilians.
Canada finished (4-1) in round robin play, qualifying for the semis.
In semis, Canada led early but fell behind by five at the half after suffering a cold shooting snap from the floor and the line. Badly outrebounded and unable to get the ball inside, the Canadians fell 82-59 to the United States, calling the loss a letdown. Katrina McLain led the U.S. with 24 points. Bev Smith paced Canada with 14. Katrina McClain scored 24 to lead the U.S.
In bronze medal game, Bev Smith scored 19 as Canada earned its second bronze medal in senior women’s competition. Anna Yanozhtinova and Ivan Kotikova each scored 12 to pace Czechoslovakia. Canada led 10-2 at the start but the Czechs rallied to even the score midway through the first half and then moved ahead. Debbie Huband hit a jumper to knot the score at 19 and then Smith canned on to give Canada a 33-31 lead at the half. They never trailed in the second half. “It was a slow-goin game,” said coach Wayne Hussey. “We did well, got the lead, then we had to struggle against their zone defence. Our defence kept us in it until we got our offence going again in the middle of the second half. Huband and Carol Hamilton each added 10 for Canada.
Coach Wayne Hussey said “we beat a lot of good teams but individual performances could have been better. Some players just weren’t shooting as well as they were capable of.”