TORONTO, June 24, 2014 /CNW/ - Team Canada will face Australia in the quarter-finals at the 2014 Women's World Wheelchair Basketball Championship following a 59-52 victory over Great Britain on Tuesday at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, Ont.
Canada finished in second place in Group B with the win over Great Britain, improving its record to 4-1. The Canadians rebounded from a loss to Germany less than 24 hours earlier to power past the Brits.
Both sides exchanged the lead in a tense, hard-fought battle. Canada held the early 12-11 edge after the opening quarter, before Great Britain countered to enter halftime with a 26-25 advantage. Great Britain pulled away early in the third quarter to widen the gap to seven points before Canada made a comeback to deadlock the game at 40 apiece going into the final frame. Canada delivered a clutch fourth quarter, shifting the momentum and outscoring Great Britain 19-12 for the win.
"We made some changes to our full court press attack and we took advantage of the fact that they were being very aggressive on defence," said Team Canada Head Coach Bill Johnson, of Winnipeg, Man.
Team Canada player and Vancouver, B.C. native Janet McLachlan found her scoring touch early and often as she posted 28 points and 15 rebounds for the double-double. Teammates Cindy Ouellet, of Quebec City, Que., and Katie Harnock, of Elmira, Ont., also made their presence felt with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
The quarter-final tilt against the Aussies tips off at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 26. Canada captured the bronze medal over rival Australia in the last meeting between the two teams at the world championship in 2010.
Germany will face France, the Netherlands will meet China, and the United States will take on Great Britain in the other quarter-final matches.
The Canadian women are in pursuit of an unprecedented seventh consecutive podium finish at the world championship, and the tournament is Canada's first major test on the road to the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
The tournament runs June 20-28 and is the largest women's world championship in history, featuring teams from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru and the United States.
All games of the competition are being webcast live online through CBC Sports' free desktop video player and SportsCanada.TV's digital platforms, as well as through the official tournament website. Tickets are also on sale online and at the Mattamy Athletic Centre box office.
For complete results and more information please visit www.2014wheelchairbasketball.com / #2014wcbasketball.
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About the Event
Over 400 athletes, coaches, officials, delegates, and volunteers will attend the 2014 WWWBC that features 12 participating countries. Canadians can catch a sneak peek at the top 12 female wheelchair basketball players in Canada, including emerging local talent and highly decorated stars, preparing to compete in one of the most fiercely competitive and exciting spectator sports to be played at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
About Team Canada
Team Canada is in pursuit of an unprecedented seventh straight podium performance, remarkably, having medalled at every single world championship including the capture of four consecutive gold medals (1994, 1998, 2002, and 2006), and bronze medals in 1990 and 2010.
About the Host
Wheelchair Basketball Canada is the host of the 2014 Women's World Wheelchair Basketball Championship. The event marks Canada's fourth opportunity to host a landmark international wheelchair basketball championship - having previously hosted the Men's World Championship in 1994, the inaugural U23 Men's World Championships in 1997, and the first-ever U25 Women's World Championships in 2011.
Image with caption: "Janet McLachlan, of Team Canada, competes against Great Britain at the 2014 Women's World Wheelchair Basketball Championship on June 24, 2014 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, in Toronto, Ont. (CNW Group/Wheelchair Basketball Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140624_C8651_PHOTO_EN_41715.jpg
SOURCE: Wheelchair Basketball Canada
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