Poor foul shooting costs Canada's women late in world wheelchair basketball loss
Dandeneau scores game-high 22 points vs. Spain; Canadians face Australia Tuesday
Free throw struggles, coupled with a shot clock violation, led to the downfall of the Canadian women's wheelchair basketball team in a 70-65 loss to Spain on Monday at the world championships in Dubai.
Forward Kady Dandeneau, who scored a game-high 22 points, twice failed to convert from the foul line with about a minute left in the fourth quarter with her team down 67-63 — the fourth straight missed attempt by the Canadians.
Strong defence by Spain also kept its opponent off the board and forced the shot clock violation.
Spanish captain Sonia Ruiz put the game away at the Dubai World Trade Centre in the United Arab Emirates with a foul shot to make it 70-65 with 8.8 seconds remaining.
"We missed a few layups, and then we weren't able to hit our free throws at the end — that's the difference in the game," Marni Abbott-Peter, who was named head coach in April, told Wheelchair Basketball Canada. "We executed our game plan and did what we wanted to do. It was just a few free throws at the end there. We had a low number of turnovers and handled the ball well.
"A few of our players got in foul trouble a little early, so that made a bit of a difference, but down the stretch, we didn't hit our free throws."
WATCH | Canada suffers 5-point loss to Spain in Dubai:
Canada, which last won a medal at worlds with its 2014 title win, saw its record slip to 1-1 following Saturday's 61-56 win over Brazil and sits fifth of six teams in Group B. It will face Great Britain (2-1) on Tuesday (CBCSports.ca, 8:30 a.m. ET).
Arrin Young added 16 points and nine rebounds while Elodie Tessier and five-time Paralympian Cindy Ouelett had eight points each.
Ruiz picks up technical foul
Spain, which earned its first win after two losses, was led by Ruiz and her 18 points, five rebounds and game-high 12 assists. Beatriz Zudaire and Isabel Lopez had 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Not much separated the teams for much of the game, which was tied after each of the first three quarters: 18-18, 32-32 and 52-52.
Canada opened a five-point lead near the halfway mark of the 10-minute third quarter but Spain quickly pulled even on a Zudaire basket. Ruiz later knotted matters at 43-43 with two free throws and the squads exchanged points until the end of the quarter when the Spanish centre was assessed a technical foul after jawing with Dandeneau.
Lopez shone early in the fourth and put her team ahead 60-58 midway through the quarter.
Dandeneau had a great opportunity to draw Canada even at 62-62 but the Toronto resident's second foul shot bounced off the front of the rim. She finished the game 5-of-10 shooting from the free throw line.
We need to be a little bit more in control of the tempo of the game and in control of our emotions.— Canada head coach Marni Abbott-Peter
With 1:46 left, Spain increased its advantage to five points. The Canadians tried to inch closer with a Tessier layup but quickly encountered foul trouble.
Heading into Tuesday's contest against Great Britain, Abbott-Peter said her players must be better composed entering Tuesday's contest against Great Britain.
"I think we were a little too hyped-up at times [versus Spain], and that really affects our shooting and our overall team play," she said. "We just need to be a little bit more in control of the tempo of the game and in control of our emotions."
The quarterfinals are Saturday, followed by the semifinals Sunday and medal matches on June 20.
The world championships determine the number of spots each zone will receive for the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.
Canada's women and men will compete in the Nov. 17-26 Parapan American Games, which serve as the Americas zone qualification tournament for next year's Summer Games.
