Canada beats Australia in overtime at wheelchair basketball world championships

HAMBURG, Germany – Arinn Young of Legal, Alta., scored eight of Canada’s points on a 9-0 run to end overtime in an 82-74 victory over Australia on Sunday at the 2018 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships. 

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Both teams were tied 68-68 after regulation after Melanie Hawtins of Oakville, Ont., scored a free throw with no time on the clock. 

The Australians built a 74-73 lead with just over two minutes to play in the first extra time before the Canadians capitalized on five fouls (two of which were for unsportsmanlike play) by their opponents.

“My foul shooting was rough in the beginning of the game, so watching those ones [at the end of the game] go in, there was a moment where I felt like I was breathing fresh air,’’ said Young in a Wheelchair Basketball Canada news release.

‘’It felt really good. I am really glad that I was able to make the gap bigger so we wouldn’t have to have so much stress. I’m just really happy right now.’’

Young led the Canadian attack with 31 points and 15 rebounds while Cindy Ouellet of Quebec City added 21 points, Rosalie Lalonde  of St-Clet, Que., 14 and Tamara Steeves of Mississauga, Ont., 13.

The Canadian women are now 2-1 and are in second place in pool A with five points, just behind Great Britain at 3-0 for six points. There are still two games remaining in the round robin.

On the men’s side, Nik Goncin of Regina notched 26 points and Pat Anderson of Fergus, Ont., 24 as Canada defeated Germany 78-61. The Germans led 14-13 after the first quarter before Canada took control of the match.

The Canadians are 2-0.

“We knew that they were going to come out hard,’’ said Goncin. ‘’Obviously they don’t want to lose twice in a row so this was a do-or-die game for them. Our plan was to grind it through until we could get a breakthrough and fortunately that came for us late in the second quarter.”

The Canadian men face Iran at 5:45 a.m. ET on Monday with first place in pool A on the line. The Canadian women are off on Monday and return to action against the Netherlands at 12:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

Canada’s games will be livestreamed at Facebook.com/CDNParalympics, Facebook.com/wheelchairbasketball, cbcsports.ca and via the CBC Sports app

Team Canada information: http://www.wheelchairbasketball.ca/event/2018-world-wheelchair-basketball-championships/ 

Official website: https://iwbf.org/event/2018-world-championships/