(Toronto, Ont.) Shooting struggles by the Canadians, in combination with stout defense by their opponents in the second half of the game, resulted in Team Canada getting unexpectedly stung by Brazil 61-33 on the third day of competition at the 2015 Americas Wheelchair Basketball Challenge.
Canada is hosting Americas zone rivals Argentina, Brazil, and the USA at the Mattamy Athletic Centre March 22-26th for the friendly warm-up tournament that offers a sneak peak at the top competitors gearing up for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games.
Canada’s offense went dry in the second half where they scored just 11 points over the final two quarters, and were outscored by their opponents 19-2 in the final frame. They finished the game shooting a meagre 25% from the field and 36% from the free throw line.
Brazil’s Luciano Silva impressed with his performance that saw him notch a game-high 24 points. Nik Goncin was the top scorer for Canada with eight points that included the game’s only three-pointer.
The earlier game saw Team USA become the tournament’s only undefeated team with an unblemished 3-0 record thanks to a 62-32 win over Argentina, Four American players reached double-digit scoring including the game’s top offensive producer Carter Arey and teammate Chris Okon, who delivered twelve points. Argentina’s Sergio Vera Peralta put up 10 points in his team’s third loss.
Team Canada will wrap up their competition with a game against the USA on Thursday March 26th at 6:15 p.m. ET, but first they must face Argentina for a second time on Wednesday March 25th at 6:15 p.m. ET.
Interviews with Team Canada athletes and coaches can be scheduled by contacting Jody Kingsbury at 613-851-2337 orjkingsbury@wheelchairbasketball.ca.
Canada is the defending Paralympic gold medalist and remains hungry to reclaim their status as the #1 team in the world.
| More Information |
| > Schedule and Results |
The 2015 Americas Wheelchair Basketball Challenge is the first major test for the Canadian Men’s National Team that must finish amongst the top two teams at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games in August in order to qualify for the 2016 Paralympic Games.
About Team Canada
The Senior Men’s National Team went undefeated at the London 2012 Paralympics to capture their third gold medal in four Paralympic Games. It is the latest accomplishment in a sport dynasty that has placed them on the podium at four consecutive Paralympics and at five of the last six world championships.
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.