Canadian men's wheelchair basketball team forced to look to the future

The 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta represent the last time that the Canadian men's wheelchair basketball team did not reach the podium, but with Sunday's 76-45 loss to Japan, Canada has been eliminated from medal contention at these Games in Rio.

The Rio 2016 tournament has presented a unique set of challenges for both the six rookies experiencing their first Games and the six veterans who have grown accustomed to international success. 

Head coach Steve Bialowas has been at the head of this transition process for Canada, one that included failing to qualify for the 2014 World Championships just two years after winning gold in London, and believes that even his veterans can find pride in their journey to Brazil.

"They've had a lot of experience," Bialowas said, "and you still have to enjoy that experience. You can't do better than representing your country and being involved in a Games. The road to qualify here was an amazing journey and this is one level up, so we have to embrace that and they are there to support the young guys who are training hard and getting ready for that next Games in four years."

Bialowas has also been impressed by the dedication that his players have shown to the development of the national program, even if they may not all be around to see Canada's next medal shot at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

"It's about an individual and how well-rounded an individual you are," Bialowas said of his veterans. "They're entering the end of their careers, whether they retire or not, I don't know, but at the same time they use the experience they've had in the past and share that with the younger guys."

Abdi Dini is described by his teammates as a quiet leader on the national team, and while his third Paralympics will not match the gold and silver medals he owns from London and Beijing, Dini knows that the success Canada has enjoyed over the past two decades is very rare.

"Sometimes things come to an end so you've got to restart from the beginning," said Dini. "Finishing podium is awesome, everybody is here and there's no doubt about it no matter what sport you're playing. Not everybody is going to win a gold medal, not everyone's going to finish on the podium. Just stay with the process and learn from it, this experience and what you can bring forward from now."

Following their final preliminary game on Monday against Turkey at 6:30 p.m. ET, the Canadians will play in the classification games that determine rankings from ninth to 12th.