Canadian women's basketball team dominates U.S. Virgin Islands in AmeriCup opener
Group A game marks 1st time team has played together since February 2020
Canada's women's basketball team returned to action with a dominant win Saturday, trouncing the U.S. Virgin Islands 101-41 at the AmeriCup tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Shaina Pellington of Pickering, Ont., led the Canadians in scoring with 16 points and Milton, Ont., product Kayla Alexander contributed 10 rebounds.
Canada had a commanding 27-7 lead at the end of the first quarter and never trailed.
The Group A game marked the first time the Canadians have played together since February 2020 when the squad clinched a spot at the Tokyo Olympics in Belgium.
WATCH | Canada rolls past Virgin Islands in AmeriCup opener:
Canada, ranked No. 4 in the world, faces Brazil on Sunday, El Salvador on Monday and Colombia on Tuesday.
Coach Lisa Thomaidis said after Saturday's game that her team is a "work in progress" and will be a much different team at the end of the tournament.
The top two teams from each group advance to the semifinals. The final is June 19.
The top four teams advance to World Cup qualifying tournaments, Feb. 6-14, 2021. The top three from each qualifier earn a berth in the World Cup, in Sydney, Australia, Sept. 22-Oct. 1, 2022.
WATCH | North Courts panel on Olympic expectations for Canadian women:
