Daily Times

SYDNEY: An emotional Lauren Jackson produced a vintage performance to head into retirement on a high, 25 years after her debut, as Australia swept past Canada 95-65 to claim women’s basketball World Cup bronze on Saturday. The 2006 champions and hosts, who narrowly lost to China in the semi-finals, took a 51-43 lead into half-time on the back of 11 points from Steph Talbot in Sydney. They stretched out a 17-point advantage heading into the final quarter, with the 41-year-old Jackson pivotal, and there was no way back for Canada. Widely regarded as Australia’s — and one of the world’s — greatest players, Jackson turned back the clock with a huge all-round effort, ending with a game-high 30 points, seven rebounds and one assist. It drew the curtain on her international career after she came out of retirement this year, having called it quits in 2016 with a persistent knee injury. The four-time Olympic medallist, seven-time WNBA all-star and a key member of the 2006 winning team became the face of the tournament and performed a significant role for Australia, featuring in every game.