Lizanne Murphy isn’t going to feel too far away from home when Basketball Canada’s senior women’s national team travels to France for an exhibition tournament at the beginning of June.

The SWNT veteran just wrapped up her second season of professional basketball in the western French city of Angers, where she has become something of a folk hero.

“It’s really funny,” smiled the Beaconsfield, Que., native, who has already re-signed to play with Union Féminine Angers Basket 49 (UFAB49) again in 2015-16. “It’s a small town and everybody’s a sports fans there, so you’re kind of well-known, and I’ve been there for (two years), so they know me really well and I’m a really outgoing person.”

Murphy’s status as a local celebrity was solidified when she was named the city’s top female athlete of 2014, an award voted on by the public. She more recently achieved nationwide acclaim by being named foreign MVP of the LFB (the top division of French women’s pro hoops), after averaging 16.0 points and 7.3\4 rebounds as she helped UFAB49 dramatically exceed all expectations by finishing fifth in the 2014-15 season.

“I didn’t think I would be someone that would win major accolades, because I’ve always been the blue-collar player on the team, but I guess they decided it based on the progression, because my team was in the second division before I got there and I’ve been the leader there, and we did really well,” said the six-foot-one forward.

Murphy established a deeper personal connection in the city of about 150,000 people this year, when she volunteered teaching English to school children between the ages of four and nine. The always-energized Murphy particularly lights up when discussing “the highlight for me this year”.

“I really loved it,” said the 31-year-old. “It’s a good break-up from the every day, because when you’re a basketball player, you’re like, ‘Hey, I get it, I’m a basketball player’, but there’s more to this world and as I get older, you’re like ‘Ok, what is my imprint on the world going to be?’

“I went and I hit jump-shots, you win games, but you want to do more, and I like being involved in communities,” continued Murphy, who plans to continue her volunteer language instruction. “I like setting down roots where I go and feeling like I belong, so it’s maybe a bit of a selfish motive, but it makes me feel good (rather) than just going to my apartment and watching TV everyday. That’s not what I like to do.”

Sentiments aside, this trip to France is all about Murphy’s home and native land. The SWNT will play against Poland on June 3 then Italy a day later, before meeting the host nation on June 5. The three games will serve as Canada’s last before the Pan-Am Games tip off in Toronto in the second week of July, which would be followed in August by the FIBA Americas Championship at the Saville Community Sports Centre.

“We’re going to face good competition, so we need to tighten everything up,” said Murphy, who has represented Canada in 113 games since 2005. “Every phase, we need to come together and sharpen the tools. We need to do everything more precise.

“It’s the details that end up winning it, because by the end of the summer, everybody knows everybody’s offence, everybody knows everyone’s tendencies, and it’s the one who can pay attention to detail, make the right read and buckle down and get it done.”

EURO ROSTER CLOSE

Basketball Canada’s senior women’s national team has announced the roster for its upcoming European tour.

Thirteen players will travel for six games in Spain and France from May 28 to June 5, as the SWNT tunes up for the Pan-Am Games, in Toronto in July, and the FIBA Americas Championship at the Saville Community Sports Centre in August.

The lineup includes stalwarts Miranda Ayim, Kim Gaucher, Lizanne Murphy,and Tamara Tatham, as well as younger players like Shay Colley, Saicha Grant-Allen, Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, and Jamie Weisner, none whom have played in a major international tournament at the senior level.

Seventeen players remain in the running to be on the 12-player rosters that will compete at the Pan-Am and Americas.

“We’re not in a position where we’re cutting anyone right now, so this is a great opportunity to give some of these young ones some games,” said SWNT coach Lisa Thomaidis, whose team will participate a pair of three-game exhibition tournaments that will see them tip off against France, Italy Great Britain, Spain, and Poland twice.

“It will be great to see them in the heat of the moment and see how they respond to the travel and challenges of playing overseas and playing against some other opponents and some good opponents.”

Canada’s roster also includes guards Nirra Fields Miah-Marie Langlois, and Kia Nurse, forward Katherine Plouffe, and centre Krysten Boogaard, all members of last year’s SWNT that finished fifth at the World Championship.

Not travelling to Europe are Shona Thorburn and Michelle Plouffe, both who are recovering from injury, as well as Ruth Hamblin, who has educational commitments at Oregon State University.

The SWNT returns to the Saville later in June for training camp prior to the Pan-Am Games. Decisions on the roster for that event are expected shortly after the European tour.

brian.swane@sunmedia.ca