Canadian wheelchair basketball women win 5th straight, capture Group A at world championships
Canada climbed to five straight wins in Group A at the Wheelchair Basketball World Championships in Ottawa, sealing a spot in the knockout rounds with a 92-91 double-overtime victory over Great Britain. The dramatic result kept the host nation atop the pool with an unblemished record.
The hosts took control late in regulation when Arinn Young hit a free throw with seven seconds remaining to push the lead to 92-88. Katie Morrow answered with a buzzer-beating three to cut the deficit to one, but officials ruled the final sequence complete after reviewing video footage.
Elise Froese added clutch free throws with 36.9 seconds left, giving Canada a four-point cushion at 89-85 as the clock wound down.
Britain forced a second overtime after Robyn Love sank a three-pointer at the horn to tie the score and send the game to extra time.
Canada looked set to close it out in regulation when Young’s free throws made it 70-66 with 42.4 seconds remaining, but the Brits surged back, tying the game in the final seconds thanks to a late push and a sequence at the charity stripe that kept the drama alive.
In the closing minutes, Canada faced adversity as star guard Kady Dandeneau was ejected in the final minute of the fourth quarter after her second unsportsmanlike foul of the night. She finished with 27 points, behind Young’s game-high 32, and also contributed 16 rebounds and 12 assists for a near-triple-double performance.
Young matched her teammate with 32 points, while Froese added 12 points off the bench. For Great Britain, Robyn Love led the attack with 23 points, followed by Katie Morrow with 17 and Laurie Williams with 14, who repeatedly attacked the Canadian interior in the third period to keep the game tight.
Canada shot efficiently in the opening half, connecting on roughly half of their attempts and building a 34-30 lead at the break. The rebounding edge was decisive in the first 20 minutes, helping establish a cushion that the Canadians widened as the game wore on. The final stat sheet showed a substantial advantage on the boards, 55-37, underscoring their dominance in this matchup.
The victory adds to a storied history for the Canadian women, who captured gold when the world championships were staged in Canada back in 2014, in Toronto. The team also reached the Dubai edition in 2023, advancing to the quarterfinals and finishing fifth overall.
Men’s team notes
Earlier in the day, the Canadian men’s squad was edged 78-67 by Argentina in a classification game for 9th-16th place at Carleton University. Argentina moves on to contest 9th-12th place, while Canada looks to close out the event on a positive note.
Argentina’s captain Carlos Esteche poured in 14 of his game-high 29 points in the final quarter, adding five rebounds and four assists in a commanding finish.
Nik Goncin led Canada with 23 points and 13 rebounds, adding seven assists. Colin Higgins posted 17 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists in a strong all-around performance for the host nation.
Canada had fallen 79-65 to Poland in a Round of 16 matchup the day prior. The country’s last podium finish at the world championships dates back to 2006, when it captured gold in Amsterdam.
