Wheelchair Basketball | Canadian players lose 65-43 to China

The Canadian wheelchair basketball players’ first Paralympic medal since 2004 will have to wait at least four more years. They ended their Paris trip with a 65-43 loss to China on Sunday in the bronze medal final.

The Canadian team had faced this same team in the tournament’s curtain-raiser and the Chinese had won this first duel by a score of 70-65.

The story was quite different on Sunday. In the first quarter, the Chinese representatives led by 10 points and quickly extended their lead.

The Canadians made things difficult for themselves against the world vice-champions. They committed 11 turnovers in the first half, while their opponents made only two, a steal by Rosalie Lalonde and an interception by Cindy Ouellet.

Above all, the Chinese were able to take advantage of these numerous changes of possession with great efficiency. They led 35-17 at the half.

“I wish we could go back a few hours and start this game again,” coach Michèle Sung said sadly after the game.

The third quarter was also a matter for the Chinese, who were ahead by 28 points. They exerted constant pressure that the Canadians were unable to contain.

Only the last quarter was to the advantage of the Maple Leaf players and this is consistent with an inverse statistic in terms of turnovers. They committed one, while their opponents lost the ball on six occasions.

“We didn’t come out as strong as in the other games. We tried several lineups, but they didn’t work. China had a good shooting percentage and we weren’t able to respond,” shared an emotional Cindy Ouellet in an interview with Sportcom.

The player, who was competing in her fifth Summer Paralympic Games, finished the game with eight points, one rebound and four assists. Arinn Young was the top Canadian scorer with 12 points, while Rosalie Lalonde stood out with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals.

In total, Canada committed 17 turnovers in the defeat.

“We were excited to play against the Chinese and we had confidence, but they came in so strong that it shook us a little,” said Rosalie Lalonde in the mixed zone. “It’s very disappointing. Honestly, our performance does not reflect the tournament we had at all. It’s sport and at the end of the day, there’s someone who wins and someone who loses.”

Élodie Tessier and Sofia Fassi Fehri were the two other Quebecers to represent Canada at the Paralympic Games in Paris.

The Canadian team, coached by Sung since January, lost its first match to China before beating Great Britain and Spain in the group stage. The victory over Germany in the quarterfinals ended a 20-year drought for the Canadians, who had not reached the semi-finals of the Paralympic Games since Athens 2004.

All this after a tumultuous year marked by three coaching changes, but also by the death of their teammate Maude Jacques. As at the Parapan American Games in Santiago, the Canadians had written the number 9 in felt on their shoulders, in tribute to the Quebecer.

“It really shows our resilience. A lot of things have happened, but I’m very proud of our entire team, the way we supported each other all year and how we played this tournament,” Lalonde said.

“I asked a lot of them in a very short time and they responded well. I am very proud of the players, it is hard to finish so close to a podium. They showed a lot of courage and they trusted me. I hope this group will stay united a little longer, because there is unfinished work,” concluded Michèle Sung.