McMaster women's basketball team heading to Taiwan

After one of the best seasons in team history, the McMaster women's basketball team will face a new challenge as it enters the international arena with a trip to the Buddha Light International Association (BLIA) Cup tournament, July 25-30, at the Kaohsiung Arena in Taiwan.

The BLIA Cup is a sport cultural exchange organized by the Fo Guang Shan Monastery, intended to promote the sport of basketball among universities and to provide young athletes with the experience of competition in large-scale tournaments. The tournament features eight women's teams and eight men's teams, with representation from the USA, Australia, France, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and People's Republic of China.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for our players to have an international playing experience," said Coach Theresa Burns. "Being exposed to very different styles of play from all the different countries will be exciting.  I believe that as much as they will gain from the on-court experience, our team will also gain so much from the trip itself and being exposed to a different culture."

This is the second straight year that the BLIA Cup event has invited participation from McMaster, as the Marauder men's team made the trip to Taiwan in 2016 and captured the Gold medal in the men's tournament.

 "We are very grateful for the opportunity that has been presented to us and want to thank the tournament organizers. We are looking forward to an amazing trip and to creating some lasting memories as a team," added Coach Burns.

McMaster will be the first U SPORTS women's team to appear in the BLIA Cup since the UBC women's team participated in 2011.

Source: McMaster Athletics