Puisand Lai
Biography
Wheelchair basketball was just one of the many sports that Puisand Lai’s parents signed her up for in 2013. Reluctant to go at first, Lai eventually fell in love with the intensity and thrill of wheelchair basketball.
Her career began in a house league and only a year later, she started to play competitively. She caught the eye of Ontario coach, Kathy Ludwig, and was asked to join Team Ontario for both the women’s and junior’s teams. This was a turning point for Lai as she fell in love with the pace of the game and just wanted to keep training harder to hone her skills even more.
Lai’s strengths lie in her speed and defensive play. She loves learning new aspects of the game and the feeling of satisfaction when she masters a new skill.
She was only 17 years old when she was named to the Canadian roster for the 2018 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Hamburg, Germany. Donning a Canadian jersey means so much to Lai and she feels incredibly lucky to represent this country.
Interesting Facts
- She was on the national team for wheelchair tennis in 2017
- She has a twin sister
- She is studying engineering at McMaster University
- Plays professionally with the Rhine River Rhinos in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Awards / Highlights
- In 2017, Lai won a gold medal at Ontario Winter Games in Brandtford, Ontario.
- In 2016, Lai was named to the all-star team at Junior East Regional Championships, representing Team Ontario
Major International Competition
| Tournament |  |
 |
 |
Other |
| World Championships: 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5th (’18, ’22) |
Statistics
World Championships
| Year | GP | Min | M/G | Field Goals | 3Pts | Free Throws | Rebounds | AS | TO | ST | BS | PF | FO | PTS | P/G | |||||
| M/A | % | M/A | % | M/A | % | OR | DR | TOT | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | 3 | 24:43 | 8:14 | 1/1 | 100 | 0/0 | – | 0/0 | – | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.7 |
| TOTAL | 3 | 24:43 | 8:14 | 1/1 | 100 | 0/0 | – | 0/0 | – | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.7 |
Legend: GP = Games Played; Min = Minutes; M/G = Minutes per Game; M/A = Made / Attempted; OR = Offensive Rebounds; DR = Defensive Rebounds; TOT = Total; AS = Assists; TO = Turn Overs; ST = Steals; BS = Blocked Shots;PF = Personal Foul; FO = Foul On; PTS = Points; P/G = Points per Game
Competitive Experience
| Level | Team | Location | Year(s) |
| International | Canada (SWNT) | Canada | 2018- |
| Club | Toronto Rollin Raptors II | Canada | 2019- |
| Club | Brampton Cruiser Suns | Canada | 2014- |
Career Notes
2023: Silver medal at 2023 Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
2023: Fifth place finish at 2022 IWBF World Championships in Dubai.
2021: 5th place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
2019:1st place at 2019 Lima Parapan American Games (Team Canada)… 1st place at the 2e open feminin handibasket international (Team Canada)… 1st place at the Nations Cup (Team Canada)… 2nd place at the 2019 Canada Winter Games with Team Ontario in Red Deer, Alberta… 1st place at the 2019 NWBA Division II Finals with the Toronto Rollin Raptors in Cleveland, Ohio…
2018: 2nd place at CWBL Finals with Brampton Cruiser Suns in Martensville, SK (domestic)…3rd place at Continental Clash in Sheffield, GB (Team Canada)…5th place at the 2018 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships (Team Canada)
2017: 1st place at Ontario Winter Games in Brantford, ON…CWBL Women’s National Championships with Team Ontario in Burlington, ON
2016: All-star team, 2nd place at Junior East Regional Championships with Team Ontario in Charlottetown, PEI…5th place at CWBL Women’s National Championships with Team Ontario in Longueuil, QC