China Stun Canada to Clinch a Paris 2024 Podium Spot with Bronze

China secured the bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in a commanding performance against Canada, 65-43.

The two teams had previously met earlier in the competition, with China narrowly winning by five points. China came out strong, displaying a well-organized offense from the very first possession. Known for having the best average field goal percentage (FG%) in the tournament, they continued their impressive shooting, ending the first quarter with an eight-point lead on 67% shooting.

The second quarter saw Canada break down. Struggling against China’s solid defense, Canada couldn’t generate the scoring opportunities they needed. Compounding their difficulties was China’s balanced scoring, with all five starters contributing. Canada’s defensive struggles allowed China to thrive offensively, and the Chinese side made their first substitutions with less than 40 seconds remaining in the half. Canada lost he second by 10 points and found themselves down by 18 at halftime.

It was going to take a massive effort for Canada to mount a comeback after the break, but where better to attempt it than on the world’s biggest stage? Unfortunately, Canada didn’t start the third quarter as hoped, going 0-for-3 from the field while China hit 2-for-3. As the quarter progressed, Canada showed glimpses of a rally, getting the ball into the paint and applying more defensive pressure.

The fourth quarter saw Canada finally find some rhythm offensively. Though the Canadians began to create chances, China’s clinical execution persisted. China’s fluid ball movement made it difficult for Canada to rotate quickly enough on defense, leading to wide-open looks for the Chinese team. As the game wound down and the bronze medal slipped further from their grasp, Canada resorted to three-point attempts. Despite their late efforts, it was too little too late. Although Canada took the final quarter by four points, they couldn’t close the gap, and China secured the bronze with a comfortable win.

China’s consistency kept them ahead throughout the game. Their starting five delivered most of the points, with standout performances from Tonglei Zhang, who posted 23 points and 9 assists, and Suiling Lin, who had 12 points and 12 assists. Despite Canada’s efforts, they struggled offensively. Arinn Young led the team with 12 points and 8 rebounds, while Kady Dandeneau followed closely with 10 points and 9 rebounds.

For more updates on the wheelchair basketball competition at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, visit the event page or follow the action on social media using #Paris2024WBB.

Written by Esha Naya for IWBF.