EDMONTON -- Captain Kim Gaucher tied for the team lead with 11 points as Canada beat Puerto Rico 94-57 in its opening game of the FIBA Americas women's basketball championship on Sunday.
Miah-Marie Langlois and Lizanne Murphy also added 11 points each for the Canadians.
Canada, fresh off its gold medal win over the United States at the recent Pan American Games in Toronto, led 30-22 after the first quarter thanks in part to an early eight points in the first five minutes by Gaucher.
The Canadians extended their lead to 56-29 at the half and to 79-41 after the third quarter.
Kia Nurse had 10 points for Canada, which entered the tournament ranked third in the Americas and 10th in the world.
Jennifer O'Neill and Marie Placido led the way with 12 points apiece for Puerto Rico -- ranked seventh in the Americas and 28th in the world ratings.
Only the winner of the FIBA Americas tournament was slated to gain automatic entry straight through to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Earlier Sunday, it was announced that Brazil would be granted automatic entry as the Olympic host. A decision was handed down in Tokyo that the Brazil Basketball Confederation would make good on an outstanding debt to FIBA.
As a result, if the Brazilian women should happen to merge victorious in Edmonton, the second place team will earn the berth to Rio.
Canada will now face Chile (ranked sixth in Americas, 26th in the world) on Monday.
Chile defeated the Dominican Republic 88-56 in their first round robin game earlier Sunday.
Notes: Puerto Rico was without star point guard Carla Cortijo. . . . Canada has only won the FIBA Americas women's championship once before, the only other time they served as the host nation in Hamilton in 1995.
