Chatham-born Miranda Ayim can feel the winds of change coming for Canada Basketball, and they're blowing towards Rio de Janeiro.
The 6'2" power forward is coming off a first place performance with the women's national team at the FIBA Americas tournament. That victory qualifies Canada for an Olympic appearance in 2016.
Ayim averaged 10.7 ppg and 5.2 rebounds a game. She also ranked third overall in the tournament for blocks (0.8 a game). That's the type of player she is: a long, pesky defender who is able to turn defence into offensive opportunities for her team. And Ayim knows it. "I'm never going to be the type of person who can pack on pounds," the 27-year-old says. "My strengths are scooting around bigger players, getting steals or blocks."
Ayim has been a part of the Canada Basketball program for 10 years, starting with the U17 team in 2005. She and Team Canada will look for a better result next year compared to London 2012, where they finished eighth in the games.
Expectations are mounting, not just among players, but the entire nation as well. Ayim says they could feel it as they played through the qualifying tournament in Edmonton. With the PF playing her high school years in London, she says she got a taste of playing at home again. "Most of our games are on the other side of the world. Being able to play in front of our friends and family is something most of us haven't been able to do since high school. It felt great to bring it back."
Until next summer, Ayim will be back to play her third season in France. While she spent the first two years with Toulouse Metropole Basket, this season she'll join Basket Landes.