The SMNT picked up a 68-52 win on Monday
PARIS—Patrick Anderson scored a team-high 17 points, and Colin Higgins and Reed De’Aeth each scored 14 points as Canada wrapped up group play with a convincing 68-52 victory over Germany on Monday at Bercy Arena.
With the win, Canada will face the Netherlands in the quarterfinals on Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET.
“We couldn’t have drawn that up any better just getting contribution from one through 12, and big breakout game from Reed,” said Anderson, who added seven rebounds and two assists. “That let some of our older guys get a little rest but play some meaningful minutes to stay sharp for tomorrow. We couldn’t have scripted it any better.”
Team Canada has met the Netherlands several times recently, including at last month’s Nations Cup Cologne in Germany.
“They know us inside and out, and vice versa,” Anderson said. “I think it’s going to be a matter of execution. They have one of the best players in the world in Mendel Op den Orth, and he’s not the type of guy that you can just take away his first option and mitigate what he can do. He has B and C options, and they’re very smart about ensuring he’s getting fed and finding his spots.
“It’ll be a fun challenge. They knocked us out of Worlds, and we’ve had a tough time against them recently.”
Canada jumped out to an early 6-0 lead thanks to back-to-back threes from Higgins and never looked back. Team Canada limited Germany to 31 per cent shooting from the field in the win.
“I felt pretty good after that first one,” said Higgins, who picked up eight rebounds and six assists. “The first one bounced around a couple of times, and you see that go, and you just kind of crack a smile. I came down, shot the next one and went up and in, too. Sometimes they go in, and sometimes they don’t. We’ll take it and run when they go in like that. Hopefully, it happens again tomorrow.”
The Senior Men’s National Team used an 8-0 run to push the lead to 12 with 2:18 to play in the third and led 64-42, heading into the fourth quarter.
De’Aeth, making his Paralympics debut in Paris, added six rebounds and three assists in the win.
“It was unreal to help out the team; being able to produce is an unreal feeling,” De’Aeth said. “Having the guys there supporting, especially in my first Paralympics, it’s crazy.”
Team Canada led 37-24 at the break.
Canada went on an early 5-1 run capped by a De’Aeth three to push the lead to nine three minutes into the second and out-scored Germany 21-13 in the period.
De’Aeth led all Canadian scorers at halftime with nine points and two assists. Nik Goncin added six second quarter points, and Chad Jassman had four at halftime.
Team Canada shot 15 of 37 through two quarters, while Germany was limited to 23 percent shooting.
The SMNT led 16-11 after one quarter.
Canada opened an early 6-0 lead on Higgins’ back-to-back threes and led 10-2 four minutes into the period.
Higgins had eight points, five rebounds and three assists, and Anderson added five first period points.
Complete stats from Monday’s game can be found here.
Tournament schedule and results can be found on WBC’s website.
Images from the 2024 Paralympics can be found on the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s photo shelter here.