STOCKHOLM (FIBA Women's World Championship/2015 FIBA Americas Women's Championship) - Miah-Marie Langlois has not wasted any time in establishing herself as a rising a star in Europe.

The Canada international, after helping her country clinch fifth place at the 2014 FIBA Women's World Championship in Turkey, scooped the honor of the Swedish league's Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year during Northland Basket's title-winning campaign.

So how did the 23-year-old from Windsor take it when told she'd received both honors?

"I was quite shocked," she said on the Swedish Basketball Federation website.

"I expected nothing to be given to me at the beginning of the season because I had been so focused on the World Championship rather than on the basketball league."

I am very grateful and it is good to see that the extra training you put in brings results - Langlois

Langlois says her Nortland teammates deserve credit, especially for the defensive award.

"I always get the challenge of guarding the best player of the opposing team but it's not always a task that I have done myself," she said.

"Many times I have had the help of the whole team."

And when it comes to the offense?

"As a point guard, I try to involve all players," she said.

"It has never been about scoring for me - unless the team needed me to do it. It's been a win-win situation."

Overall, the season went very well both on the court and off it.

Everything seemed to click in Sweden for Langlois.

She had a good time with her teammates.

"I have learned a lot by just being here," she said.

"The biggest change was going from being a college player to a professional.

"There are other routines, other types of training and it feels different mentally."

Langlois was clearly not expecting her career to take off as quickly as it has.

In an interview with FIBA.com in late January, she admitted to being pleasantly surprised at making the Canada squad and now, she's gotten a title with Northland.

It speaks highly of her work ethic and talent, and the college game in Canada.

Langlois played at the University of Windsor.

She will soon turn her focus to Canada and the team's bid to win titles on home soil later this year.

Langlois showed in 2014, especially in their glitzy Group Phase game against Turkey in front of a packed Ankara stadium, that she thrives in the big games.

Her country is hosting the Pan American Games in Toronto (16-20 July) and then the FIBA Americas Women's Championship in Edmonton (9-16 August).

If Canada reach the Final in Edmonton, they will clinch a spot in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

As for next year and a possible return to Northland, Langlois said: "If everything goes as planned, I will play in Northland next season but you can never predict the future."

FIBA