Canadian Players Primed to Showcase 3x3 Wheelchair basketball at Inaugural Worlds

OTTAWA – Puisand Lai, the young veteran on Canada’s women’s wheelchair basketball team, is going to experience something totally different this week as a member of the 3X3 squad.

Lai, Kady Dandeneau of Pender Island, B.C., Tamara Steeves of Mississauga, and Élodie Tessier of Saint-Germain de Grantham, Que., are on route to Sun City, South Africa for the inaugural IWBF 3X3 Open World Championship August 1-3.

Canada’s men’s team is comprised of Vincent Dallaire of Quebec City, Colin Higgins of Rothesay, N.B., Lee Melymick of Toronto and Garrett Ostepchuk of Regina.

Matteo Feriani of Toronto and Michele Sung of Winnipeg, the current head coaches of the men’s and women’s national teams, will fill the same functions at the 3X3’s.

Canadians on both teams were at the 2024 Paralympic Games in the regular wheelchair basketball. While 3X3 basketball is now and Olympic sport, it is not yet on the Paralympic Games program.

Lai, 25, says the 3X3 game’s pace and style sets it apart:

‘’3X3 is a very different game,’’ said the 25-year-old Lai, a two-time Paralympian from Toronto. ‘’It’s fast paced and it shows a different side of wheelchair basketball that I’m proud to be a part of.’’

In 3X3, the game is played on a half court with players scoring in the same basket. The shot clock is 12 seconds and match length is 10 minutes.

‘’The quickness of the game, the passing, and just the rotation in the plays is fun to watch,’’ said Lai. ‘’You have to react fast and strategize in a short time span. Plus the tournament is tightly scheduled so you’ll have more than one game a day.’’

While it’s a baptism of fire for Lai, the other three women were members of Canada’s 3X3 team which won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

‘’I love 3X3 and I’m thrilled that it is continuing to grow,’’ said Dandeneau. ‘’It’s what I’m looking forward to the most this season.’’

Dandeneau is confident Canada is in the mix for a medal.

‘’We have a good shot,’’ she said. ‘’We are going in as prepared as possible and hopefully we can put Canada on that podium. The key to success is the pace. If you can keep up the whole time you’re going to be in a good situation.

‘’There’s no time to dwell on anything, no time to change your mind. You have to stick with your decisions.’’

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There are eight teams in the women’s tournament divided into two pools. Canada is in pool B with Spain, South Africa B and Kenya. Pool A teams are Great Britain, Australia, South Africa and Switzerland.

Canada Women’s Pool B Games (ET):

Aug 1: vs. Spain – 9:15 a.m.
Aug 1: vs. Kenya – 11:20 a.m.
Aug 2: vs. South Africa B – 7:35 a.m.
Aug 2: Quarterfinals – from 10:30 a.m.
Aug 3: Semifinals – 5:55 a.m.; Finals – 9:15 a.m.

For the Canadian men, Dallaire and Higgins were on the 2022 Commonwealth Games team that won the bronze.

There are 14 countries in the men’s tournament divided into three pools. Canada is in pool C with Spain, Austria and Portugal. Pool A teams are Great Britain, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Croatia and Kenya and pool B is Australia, Poland, South Africa, Malaysia and Slovenia.

Canada Men’s Pool C Games (ET):

August 1 – Preliminary Round: