Washington Huskies guard Avery Howell scored 3 points and hauled in a pair of rebounds to help lead Team Canada to a 72-57 victory over Senegal in the opening game of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament.
Howell, a third-year guard entering her second season with the Huskies after beginning her college career at USC in 2024-25, logged 10 minutes off the bench in the 15-point victory for Canada in her senior-team debut. Over the years, the Boise, Idaho native has been a key member of the Canadian national team’s success, beginning with the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2025.
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The 5-foot-11 ball-handler averaged 14.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists over seven games in Czechia, which featured 26-point and 20-point games against China and Australia as Canada grabbed a fourth-place finish in the tournament.
One of 12 players selected to suit up for Canada in the six-day pre-qualifying tournament that runs from August 17-23, Howell joins fellow team members Jasmine Bascoe, Agot Makeer and Cearah Parchment who also made their senior team debut in Monday’s win.
“This tournament represents an important first step on our path to LA 2028,” Steve Baur, Vice President and General Manager, Women’s High Performance, said in a press release by Canada Basketball.
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“We were intentional in building a roster that combines Olympic experience with young athletes ready to make their senior team debuts and help shape the program’s future. We’ve focused on creating an environment in which this group can thrive, and there is a great deal of excitement throughout the program as we begin this new cycle.”
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals on Aug. 22, with the tournament final set for Aug. 23. The tournament champion will earn a berth in one of the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in Feb. 2028.
The seven remaining teams in Guadalajara will retain an opportunity to reach the Olympic qualifying tournaments through their respective continental championships next summer.
Canada will compete in Group B alongside host Mexico, the Philippines and Senegal. Group A features Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand and South Sudan. All games are streamed on FIBA’s YouTube channel
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington WBB Star Helps Canada to Win in FIBA Pre-Qualifiers
