Rose Ready To Bloom at Home

The games mark a return to an old stomping ground for the 24-year-old who began her career in Scotland’s capital with the Kool Kats club before heading to college in the United States.

The two Olympic preparation games on Saturday and Sunday represent a rare opportunity for 35-times-capped Anderson to showcase herself in front of familiar faces and to perform again at the famous old venue where she once was one of the youngest players ever to lift the Scottish Cup.

Rose commented: “I’m so excited to have my family there at the weekend. I grew up playing at Meadowbank when I was younger and half the staff are still there so they’ll recognise me. It’s going to be great to come home and hopefully I can do well.”

The Canadian games, part of the first of two Standard Life Game On tournaments this summer, come off the back of Great Britain’s victory in last weekend’s 4 Nations in Liege, another building block for head coach Tom Maher on the road to London.

“It’s been going well,” said Anderson, the lone Scot in the 14-strong squad. “This year everyone arrived in good shape.”

GB guard, Anderson credits GB assistant coach, Damian Jennings for providing the best possible preparation for the most important summer of her career so far.

Last year, Anderson opted out of a move overseas to spend the season with Jennings’ side, UWIC in Cardiff. It proved a successful choice, as the Welsh side claimed their first-ever domestic league title. Working with Jennings, she declares, brought numerous improvements: “I didn’t know Damian that well, but he is a brilliant coach. He’s up there with Tom, he’s very driven. We may have been in the EBL but we had sessions where we’d analyse film, and analyse different things. He kept me accountable and didn’t let me be complacent.”

She continued, “I was lifting weights and following nutrition programmes and I got all the help I needed. I think it was the best decision I ever made to go to UWIC and play in the domestic league because I’m in better shape than ever.”

Meanwhile, Canada have confirmed their final 12-strong squad that will head for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Ankara later this month following their stopover in Edinburgh.

Former WNBA forward Kim Smith headlines a group that includes 10 members of the side who participated in last summer’s FIBA Americas Championships.

Photo credit British Performance Basketball