Gliders suffer first loss in London Paralympics against Canada

Monday, September 3, 2012 

Australia's Cobi Crispin and Canada's Cindy Ouellett lock chairs
Image: Laura Hale.

The Gliders link arms after half time
Image: Laura Hale.

Katie Hill (left) and Kylie Gauci (right)
Image: Laura Hale.

London, England— Australia lost Sunday night to Canada 50–57 in the women's wheelchair basketball at the Olympic Park in London.

Poor shooting doomed the Australian Gliders' hopes of a third victory in a row at the Basketball Arena; they only managed to make only 23 out of 68 shots at the basket, a miserable 34%. Only one three-pointer was attempted, by Amber Merritt. She missed the shot.

The Gliders were down by eight points at quarter time; but, fought their way back into the game, tying at 40-all at one point in the third quarter.

Both Amber Merritt and Cobi Crispin ran up large numbers of personal fowls: four for Meritt and five for Crispin, hampering Australia's game style. Nonetheless, the pair still contributed to the team's scoreline, with Crispin scoring 12 points with 15 rebounds, and Merritt scoring 16 points with six rebounds. Shelley Chaplin scored eight points with five rebounds and seven assists. The team's camaraderie was again on display.

The other players in the Gliders Sarah Vinci, Bridie Kean, Amanda Carter, Tina McKenzie, Leanne del Toso, Clare Nott, Kylie Gauci, Sarah Stewart and Katie Hill.

This was the Australian's third game in the Group A round-robin. Over the prior two days they had defeated Brazil 52-50 and Great Britain 51-24. The five teams in each of two groups play each other once. The top four teams in each group then go on into the quarter-finals.