Canada’s wheelchair basketball teams are both heading to quarterfinal playoffs at the Paralympics in Tokyo.
The Canadian men booked their spot Sunday night with a 63-52 win over Colombia and former UNBC student Bo Hedges was a major contributor in the victory Sunday night with 10 points.
“We executed exactly kind of how we wanted to in the first half and did what we wanted,” said Hedges, a native of Fort St. John. “Then in the second half they came out, we knew they were going to battle, they weren’t going to give up, they still had a chance to get through to the quarterfinals.
“Colombia came out and fought hard, and we were able to weather the storm. It wasn’t necessarily the prettiest win in the end, but we got the win, and we get through to the quarters now.”
Patrick Anderson led the Canadian cause with 22 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists, while Nik Goncin collected 15 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
Canada finished the preliminary round with a 2-3 record and will await the Group B winner in the quarterfinal round.
Meanwhile, in women’s wheelchair basketball, former UNBC Timberwolf Kady Dandeneau, of Pender Harbour, and her Team Canada teammates will face the United States in quarterfinal playoff tonight (8:30 p.m. PT).
Canada advanced with a 76-37 win over Australia to finish the preliminary round at 3-1.
Canada currently ranks 35th in the Paralympic medal standings with one gold, seven silver and four bronze.
Swimmer Danielle Dorris of Moncton, N.B., is the latest Canadian to make it to the medal podium after she claimed silver in the 100-metre backstroke on Monday.
