(Montreal) The Canadians held off a British comeback and won 66-59 on Tuesday in their third game of the World Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The first half was slightly to Canada’s advantage 34-31, who took the lead midway through the second quarter. The Maple Leaf representatives came back strong when play resumed. Leading by 14 with less than 10 minutes left in the game, they were in perfect control, thanks in particular to their success on the rebound and their defensive play, which limited their opponents to eight points in the third quarter.
Missed opportunities in the Canadian side, however, allowed the British team to come back in the game and reduce the gap to a single possession with just over a minute to play.
Captain Cindy Ouellet and British Columbian Kady Dandeneau each scored two free throws late in the game to protect their team’s lead and secure the Canadian victory.
Dandeneau scored no less than 32 points, while Ouellet had 13. The Quebecer also has eight rebounds, six assists and two steals.
For her part, Élodie Tessier was the most used Canadian by coach Marni Abbott-Peter with more than 37 minutes of play.
“We stayed calm the whole game and moved the ball around like we know how to do. It’s been great! shared Tessier, who finished the game with five points, seven rebounds and four assists.
“We worked hard and it worked out well for us today (Tuesday). Personally, I missed a lot of shots, but I was able to capitalize on defense to put pressure on. We will now watch the whole thing and focus on our next opponents,” she added.
Sandrine Bérubé and Sofia Fassi-Fehri are also part of the Canadian team in Dubai.
The Canadians now have a record of two wins and one loss since the start of this World Championship. Their next duel will take place on Wednesday against the Australians. They will complete the preliminary round on Friday with a match against the Chinese, silver medalists at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
