Canada’s women’s wheelchair basketball team secured their third consecutive victory in the preliminary round of the world championships in Ottawa. They triumphed over China with a final score of 66-62 at TD Place. Kady Dandeneau, a seasoned player from Pender Island, B.C., led the team with an impressive performance, contributing 37 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists while shooting 15-of-29 from the field. Arinn Young, hailing from St. Albert, Alta., also played exceptionally well, achieving a triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.
The closely contested game saw both teams tied at 30-30 at halftime. Canada entered the final quarter with a narrow lead of 47-46, courtesy of a crucial three-pointer from Dandeneau. Young’s two-pointer with 1:10 remaining gave Canada a one-point lead, and Dandeneau sealed the victory in the closing seconds by scoring while drawing a foul and converting the subsequent free throw.
Tara Llanes, a Canadian player, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, highlighting their strong defensive play and the standout performances of Young and Dandeneau. China’s Lin Suiling led her team with 19 points and 12 assists, supported by Zhang Xuemei with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Canada showcased their shooting prowess, recording 51% (25/47) accuracy from the field and 30% (3/10) from beyond the arc. The team will next challenge Brazil on Sunday at 2:45 p.m. ET before facing Great Britain in their final preliminary-round match at Carleton University on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. ET.
The United States and the Paralympic champion Netherlands also hold unbeaten records in Group B with 3-0 standings. The Canadian women’s team began their world championship campaign with wins over Spain (76-51) and Australia (79-30) before the victory against China. Meanwhile, the Canadian men’s team (2-1) had a day off due to Iran’s withdrawal from the tournament over visa issues.
Canadian fans can catch live coverage of both the women’s and men’s tournaments on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
