(Toronto, Ont.) The Canadian Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team defeated Brazil 76-64 on the opening 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.
David Eng scored 20 points for Canada in the victory, while Bo Hedges chipped in with19 points. Brazil countered with Leandro Mirando who finished with 18 points.
Earlier in the evening, Carter Arey led Team USA with 20 points when they cruised past Argentina 80-42. Argentina’s Daniel Copa scored a game-high 24 points in the loss.
Next up Team Canada will face Argentina Monday March 23 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Interviews with Team Canada athletes and coaches can be scheduled by contacting Jody Kingsbury at 613-851-2337 or jkingsbury@wheelchairbasketball.ca.
Canada is the defending Paralympic gold medalist and remains hungry to reclaim their status as the #1 team in the world.
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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.