A young Canadian women's team got its hands on some prized hardware on Sunday night.
Team Canada took down Argentina in the third-place game at the FIBA women's AmeriCup, downing them 76-75 courtesy of a game-winner from phenom Syla Swords in double overtime.
With less than three seconds left in double OT and Canada down one point, Swords came off a screen at the top of the arc, received a perfect high-arcing inbound pass from Delaney Gibb, and finished the layup over her defender to put Canada up one.
While Argentina was able to get a shot up after Swords' make, it was a heave from beyond half court, and Canada knew the celebrations were on the second it left Julieta Mungo's hands.
Swords, who netted a game-high 23 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists, was immediately mobbed by teammates at the end for helping Canada to the bronze. The Sudbury, Ont., native also tied a game-high with five three-point makes on 11 attempts and shot nine-for-20 from the field.
National team veterans Sami Hill and Kayla Alexander supplanted Swords' production with 16 and 13 points, respectively, while fellow collegiate guard Gibb — who just finished her freshman year at BYU — had nine points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Leading the way for Argentina was Macarena D'urso, who finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
It was a ridiculously tight affair, as nothing could separate the two sides after 40 minutes. They went into overtime tied at 59 and only managed eight points apiece in the first extra frame.
However, the game looked like it would swing Argentina's way in the dying seconds, as Melisa Gretter finished a layup with three seconds left and drew the foul, ultimately completing the three-point play to put her side up one. Up until Swords drew last blood.
This was the ninth time that Canada has finished third at the FIBA women's AmeriCup and the 14th time that the team has podiumed at the biennial tourney.
The United States took down Brazil 92-84 in the gold-medal game later on Sunday.
