Everything is supposedly bigger in Texas, so it came as a surprise when the defining moment of the entire GLOBL JAM tournament proved to be too big for the previously undefeated Texas Longhorns.
For Canadian Avery Howell, the moment, the stage, and the bright lights were perfect.
Avery scored a game-high 24 points and was six-of-six from three to help Canada capture gold in their 72-65 win over the Longhorns in the final game of the U23 tournament on Sunday.
Like in many tales that finish with a storybook
ending, this story first required twists, turns, and obstacles.
There was a nervous energy in the air during the opening minutes of the game, and it translated to the play on the court, with Canada and Texas exchanging early turnovers. To their credit, neither Canada nor Texas let it burn them on the other side of the court. Canada finished the first quarter with zero points off turnovers, only four shy of what the Longhorns were able to manufacture.
Howell, an alternate for Canada’s 2024 Olympic team, carried the offence with a legendary performance, scoring 13 points by halftime. Canada desperately required Howell’s shooting prowess on a night when the team struggled, with her teammates going a combined one-for-15 from three.
“I feel I was just letting it fly,” said Howell. “I put in a lot of work on that, so it feels good to see it pay off…I know that’s what my team needed from me tonight.”
Howell’s first six points came from the corners, where she often parked as Canada ran sets on the opposite wing. The six-foot guard entered the gold medal game having made 14 threes on 63.6 per cent. To the surprise of the raucous crowd at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, she finished the night improving her gaudy efficiency.
“You feel the energy from the fans after each shot,” said Howell. “The energy was great today, and we really fed off that.”
Howell, 19, is committed to the Washington Huskies for the 2025-26 season. During last year’s NCAA tournament, Howell went 11-for-26 from three (42.3 per cent). Howell finished GLOBL JAM averaging 21.5 points while shooting 57.8 per cent from the field and 71.4 per cent from beyond the arc.
In a contest where every possession carried high stakes, Canada needed their three-point shooting to be an equalizer against a Longhorns team that played mostly mistake-free basketball, but didn’t shoot the ball well.
Entering the game, the Longhorns shot 16-for-58 (27.5 per cent) from deep, while Canada was 37-for-95 (38 per cent).
But just like in their previous meeting, which Texas won 70-61, the Longhorns planned to limit Canada’s reliance and effectiveness from the perimeter. Canada was held to 33 per cent on 21 attempts in the gold medal game. In matchups that didn’t include Texas, Canada averaged 44.7 per cent on 38 attempts.
The Americans turned to their bench early in the third quarter to help push their lead to 44-33 at the 8:12 mark, the largest deficit of the game up to that point. The Longhorns’ bench proved to be a strength through the entirety of the tournament, and they once again leaned on their depth to keep the score close.
Texas’ bench outscored Canada 26-10 during their first meeting, and would replicate that success to a lesser degree in the gold medal game, outclassing the Canadian bench 19-9.
Two of the Longhorns’ bench options, Jordan Lee and Aaliyah Crump, saw early action in the second half. Both players alternated at shadowing Howell in hopes of containing the Canadian sniper. While the duo found success at keeping Howell away from the action, miscues in transition sprung the Canadian free for a three to tie the game at 48-48. After Texas reclaimed the lead, Howell would again answer the call with a turnaround three from the right corner, drawing Canada within one.
Latasha Lattimore’s two points with 19 seconds remaining in the third gave Canada a 54-52 lead, their first advantage since the opening minutes of the game.
One of the prevailing narratives leading into the night’s rematch was Texas’ balanced scoring. A different player finished as the two highest scorers in each of the Longhorns’ three group play victories.
But when Howell was called for her fourth foul just 19 seconds into the final frame, Canada was forced to send her to the bench to avoid a final foul, and ultimately asked its other leaders to step up.
With everything on the line, they answered the call.
In the 5:21 that Howell was on the bench, Canada outscored Texas 10-8. They also limited the Longhorns to 37.8 per cent shooting while maintaining a neutral turnover margin at 1-1.
By the time Howell re-entered the game, Canada had a 64-60 lead, giving the team the confidence it needed for a strong push towards the finish line.
There was arguably no other Canadian who benefited more from that confidence boost than Shayeann Day-Wilson, who scored 11 of her 18 points in the final quarter.
“That’s just confidence, that’s just believing in my craft. I’m in the gym every day,” said Day-Wilson of her performance in the fourth. “Things are not always going to go your way, so I’m usually doing the little things that my team needed and staying composed.”
While Canada only held two leads in the game and trailed by 11 in the third quarter, the team never felt like a gold medal was out of reach.
“We got back to the drawing board and we stayed together when it mattered,” said Day-Wilson. “We didn’t let the bad possessions get to us.”
Moments after the buzzer, Howell was named tournament MVP. It was a perfect ending, only rivalled by the setting and its people.
“It feels good to win on home soil, a lot of the girls are from around here,” said Howell. “I think it’s cool, we’re able to bring attention to our program and what we’re trying to grow.”
