Aubry Helps Canada to Fourth-Place Pan Am FinishAubry Helps Canada to Fourth-Place Pan Am Finish
Women's Basketball

Aubry Helps Canada to Fourth-Place Pan Am Finish

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Former Husker Chelsea Aubry scored six points and grabbed four rebounds, but it wasn't enough to help Canada claim a bronze medal at the 2007 Pan Am Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Tuesday. The Canadians came up short in a 62-49 loss to the defending champs from Cuba in the medal round after earning a trip to the semifinals.

It was the fifth game in five days for Aubry and Canada, after the Canadians posted a 2-1 record in the preliminary round, defeating Mexico 74-63 and Jamaica 58-46, before losing 77-63 to the host Brazilians.

Advancing to the semifinals, Canada lost 75-59 to the United States on Monday. The United States won the gold medal with a 79-66 victory over the hosts from Brazil.

Aubry, a 6-2 forward from Kitchener, Ontario, had a big day against the Americans, pouring in a team-high 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field. The 2007 honorable-mention All-Big 12 selection for the Huskers added a strong outing against Brazil, when she scored seven points on a perfect shooting night from the field that included a three-pointer. She also pulled down four rebounds for Canada in the loss.

She added five points and four rebounds in the win over Jamaica, and pulled down nine boards but did not score in Canada's win over Mexico in its tournament opener.

Canada's team was the second-youngest women's squad at the Games in Brazil, trailing only the champions from the United States. Canadian point guard Teresa Gabriele of Mission, B.C., was the only Canadian player with Pan Am Games experience, as Aubry made her first appearance at the Games.

Canada used the the Pan Am Games as a major part of its preparations for the FIBA Americas Olympic-qualifying tournament in September in Valdivia, Chile. Canada expects to face Cuba, Jamaica and the United States in pool play at the qualifying tournament.

The team returns to Canada for a 10-day break before gathering for a training camp and heading to China for an exhibition series against the hosts, Cuba and Lithuania.