(Calgary, Alta.) The host Calgary Rollers and the Edmonton Inferno will face off for the gold medal at the 2015 Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League (CWBL) Women’s National Championship, after both clubs emerged as the top contenders once the dust settled on round robin competition Saturday at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alta. Saskatchewan will take on Quebec for the bronze medal.
The bronze and gold medal games will unfold on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. MT and 12:15 p.m. MT, respectively.
The Edmonton Inferno started the day off on a winning note with a 56-38 victory to hand Saskatchewan its first loss. The Inferno held a commanding 30-14 lead at halftime and closed the door the rest of the way en route to the win. Arinn Young led the blistering Inferno attack with 28 points. Erica Gavel produced a team-high 12 points for Saskatchewan.
Quebec rebounded from two consecutive losses on opening day with a 57-52 win over the host Calgary Rollers. The seesaw battle featured multiple lead changes before Quebec dictated the tempo in the third quarter to outscore Calgary 18-8, which proved to be the difference maker. Cindy Ouellet led all Quebec players with 24 points, while Diane Sorensen equalled that point output for the Rollers side.
The Edmonton Inferno improved to 3-1 with a convincing 65-36 decision over the B.C. Breakers in the afternoon. With the win, the Inferno advanced to the gold medal game and will vie for an eighth national championship title. Arinn Young scored 28 points to lead all Edmonton players, while Kady Dandenau and Wendy Jansen were the top point producers for the Breakers with 8 points.
The Calgary Rollers (3-1) defeated Saskatchewan 49-40 to secure its place in the championship final and will compete for a shot at a sixth national title. Diane Sorenson paced the Rollers offense with 14 points. Shelby Harrower tallied 13 points as the top scorer for Saskatchewan (2-2).
Quebec kept the winning momentum going to secure a 66-40 win against the B.C. Breakers in the final contest of the day. With the win, Quebec (2-2) earned a berth to the bronze medal contest. Rosalie Lalonde dropped a team-high 20 points for the Quebec side, while Wendy Jansen countered with 14 points for the Breakers. The B.C. Breakers (0-4) concluded the tournament in fifth place.
About the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League
The Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League (CWBL) was founded in 1986 and has two primary divisions: the Open division and the Women’s division. The league features wheelchair basketball club teams from across Canada and culminates each season with a national championship for both the Open and Women’s divisions.
The league is fully integrated as both divisions welcome athletes with a disability as well as able-bodied athletes to play in the spirit of competition. It often features some of the country’s best wheelchair basketball players, including past, present and future members of Team Canada.
About Wheelchair Basketball Canada
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is the national sports governing body responsible for the organization of the sport in Canada. It is a non-profit, charitable organization that is committed to excellence in the development, support and promotion of wheelchair basketball programs and services for all Canadians from grassroots to high performance. Wheelchair basketball is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, competitive sport in which Canada is held in high esteem around the world for winning a combined six gold, one silver, and one bronze medal in the last six Paralympic Games.