We’ve seen this before.

Twenty-six days ago, to be exact.

Canada vs. Cuba, international women’s basketball, last game of group play, first place on the line.

On July 18, Canada defeated Cuba 71-68, its slimmest margin of victory en route to gold at the Toronto Pan American Games.

On Thursday, the two rivals meet in Edmonton to decide top spot in Group A at the FIBA Americas Women’s Championship.

“It’s always a grind against Cuba,” forward Miranda Ayim said. “It was last game, and I expect it will be again. It’s going to be a lot of hard work a lot of banging and I think it’s going to come down to execution.”

Both teams enter the contest (6:30 MT, TSN) with identical 3-0 records, sweeping through Chile, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, and have clinched a spot in Saturday’s semifinals. First and second place from Groups A and B will meet in a crossover format, with the winners advancing to the gold medal game and losers playing for bronze on Sunday.

“I think it will have the atmosphere and the intensity of a gold medal game,” said veteran point guard Shona Thorburn. “We want to win, we want to finish our group in first and I know they are thinking the exact same thing.

“And also if you can beat someone in pool play, that’s an intimidation factor as well if you do meet up again in a medal game. Obviously, winning Saturday and Sunday is a lot more important, but it’s going to be a tough game, it’s going to be exciting.”

Canada has dominated thus far at the Saville Community Sports Centre — winning by an average of 56.3 points — but Cuba is taller and more physical up front than any of the Canadians’ first three opponents, while also possessing speed on the perimeter.

“They know each other so well because they’ve played together so long, they’re so experienced,” Canadian coach Lisa Thomaidis said of the Cubans.

“When they execute, they know exactly what they’re trying to get out of each thing and try to exploit some matchup issues. They’re very smart and … they do that as well as probably any team we’ve played against.”

It was a nail-bitter when they met at the Ryerson Athletic Centre last month. After a back-and-forth first half, Canada opened up a 13-point lead in the third quarter, only to watch Cuba come storming back in the final quarter, pulling within a possession of the hosts on multiple occasions and getting as close as one point with 15 seconds remaining, though the Canadians held firm.

In that game Canada attempted just 14 three-pointers, the fewest in any of its eight games spanning Pan Ams and Americas (it has shot a blistering 32/62 on threes in Edmonton thus far). Centre Natalie Achonwa stepped up inside with her best game in red and white this summer, leading the team with 15 points and 7 rebounds.

“Our game plan was actually to attack their bigs,” Thorburn said. “I think we have faster and more athletic bigs, so that was our game plan. I think we did a pretty good job with it.

“Maybe they’re going to make a few adjustments now, which might open up some things on the perimeter for us and if that’s the case I have no doubt that our bigs are going to find us.”

Not only does this follow a script from four weeks ago, but from the last Americas Championship, two years ago in Mexico. There Canada beat Cuba 53-40 in the preliminary round finale to win their group, but Cuba defeated Canada 79-71 in the gold medal game three days later. The teams’ most recent meeting was an exhibition tilt in Spain last September, a 69-66 overtime win for Cuba.

“We’re playing as well as we ever have, so now it’s just a matter of getting out there and executing,” Thomaidis said. “It will be a good game.”

brian.swane@sunmedia.ca

@SunBrianSwane