Global Champions: Ravens Win Basketball World Cup
By Elizabeth Kane
Under the sweltering heat of Brasília’s mid-November sun, four members of the Ravens women’s basketball team took to the international stage at the 2025 FISU 3×3 Basketball University World Cup, facing down fierce competition and securing the championship title for the first time in Canadian university history.
Ingrid Matteau, Tatyanna Burke, Dorcas Buisa and Noelle Kilbreath, members of Carleton’s 2024-25 U SPORTS national championship team, reunited in Brazil’s capital to take on university teams from Spain, China and Ukraine.
“I’m very honoured and humbled to have the opportunity to play for Canada and win,” says Buisa, who graduated prior to the FISU tournament.
“I’m really happy that I was able to have another opportunity to wear my jersey and represent Carleton.”
FISU gathered defending championship teams from across the globe to compete. The international venue and fast-paced nature of the tournament gave the trip a surreal quality, says Burke.
“You’re picking up and travelling to another country to try to beat teams from around the world that you’ve never played over the course of a few days. It’s eye-opening.”
A Different Ball Game
As the defending national champions here in Canada, the Ravens dominate in five-on-five games. Taking those skills to the three-on-three variation presented new challenges.
“It’s the same sport but there are big differences,” says Matteau.
“The ball isn’t the same size or weight, it’s not the same court size, it’s a shorter shot clock. There are a lot of adjustments that need to be made to our strategy.”
The pace of play is a departure from what the Ravens were used to playing against Canadian competitors.
“It seems short because games are only 10 minutes long, but it’s quite intense,” says Kilbreath. “It’s like sprint basketball.”
Because it’s an outdoor tournament, the players also had to contend with external elements during their games, including high heat and humidity.
“It’s one thing playing three games in one day, but it’s another thing when it’s more than 30 degrees outside,” says Buisa.
“Fighting through fatigue and the mental battle of focusing on the game were things we had to hold each other accountable for.”
To help maintain their health and stamina throughout the tournament, the players credit Kwesi Loney, director of High Performance Sport at Carleton, for ensuring the team stayed fuelled and ready to bring their best to the court.
“There are times when you’re just so tired, but we kept saying the word ‘tired’ does not exist,” says Kilbreath. “And when you think about it, it’s only 10 minutes. I can do anything for 10 minutes.”
Ravens Return for the Title
This isn’t the first time Carleton vied for the world title. In 2024, the Ravens lost to China’s Huazhong University of Technology in the championship game.
This year’s team was not about to let history to repeat itself as they faced off against their rivals once again in the semifinal.
“We knew it was our biggest rivalry,” says Matteau.
“We had a lot to prove to ourselves and the girls who were watching in Canada.”
The Ravens fought hard in an intense back-and-forth match, ultimately emerging victorious with a final score of 21 to 19.
“We’re always competitive but knowing that this was the team that the girls lost to last year, that definitely fired us up a little more,” says Kilbreath. “We wanted to get the championship back for them and we wanted to win for us — that was all the reason we needed.”
World Champions and International Experiences
After the exhilarating match against the Chinese team, the Ravens quickly pivoted to the championship game against Vasyl Stefanyk University of Ukraine.
With victory within reach, the Ravens gave it their all and triumphed 16 to 11.
Having swept the tournament, the Ravens celebrated a perfect record in international competition.
“We knew we were fully capable of winning,” says Burke.
“Once we won, it felt like a movie. I still haven’t grasped it fully, but we’re all proud of how we persevered.”
In addition to competing for the international title, the players had the opportunity to make new friends from across the globe and experience a new part of the world during their short stay in Brasília.
“On one of our days off we got to explore the city and be immersed in the local culture,” says Buisa, describing how the team took part in a local community celebration.
“It’s something that I know I would never have experienced otherwise. The culture and the friendships that were shared are things I won’t forget.”
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