FIBA/IWBF – Japanese hold off Canada for third straight Women’s Wheelchair win

BEIJING (Paralympics Women) - Japan edged a thrilling encounter against Canada on the third day of the Women’s Wheelchair Basket event at the Paralympics.

The Canadians, who are the world champions, fell behind in the first half and staged an impressive comeback but the Japanese held on for victory.

In other games, the United States beat Australia, Great Britain thumped Brazil and China hammered Mexico.

Here is a look at the third day’s play.

Japan 55 Canada 52

Japan held off world champions Canada to prevail 55-52 in a pool B preliminary game held at the National Indoor Stadium Tuesday to improve to a perfect 3-0.

Three Japanese players scored in the double digits, led by forward Mari Amimoto with 20 points while forward Ikumi Takubo had a game-high 16 rebounds.

Trailing 30-17 at the halftime, Canada turned on the style in the fourth quarter but several missed scoring opportunities saw them come up just short.

Center Misty Thomas had 15 points and 11 boards for the Canadians.

The result has left Canada with a 1-1 record.

The two teams' next pool B games will take place Wednesday. Japan will play the Netherlands at the USTB Gymnasium. Canada will play China at the National Indoor Stadium.

China 53 Mexico 37

Center Fu Yongqing led China to a 53-37 win over Mexico in a pool B preliminary contest.

Fu had 13 points, 13 rebounds and six steals.

Forward Lucia Vazquez Delgadillo scored 23 of Mexico's 37 points, but her teammates could not fend off China's superior defense which resulted in Chinese players coming up with 14 steals.

Thus far in the tournament, China is 1-1 and Mexico is 0-3.

China will play its fourth pool B game against Canada on Wednesday at the National Indoor Stadium. Mexico will play their fourth pool B game, also against Canada, on Thursday at the USTB Gymnasium.

US 61 Australia 42

The United States remained unbeaten with a convincing victory over Australia – their second American triumph in a row over a medal contender.

The US team used 40 minutes of full-court defensive pressure to wreak havoc against the Australians.

The 42 points scored by Australia was 20 less than the points haul they averaged in the first two games.

Team USA, which beat Germany on Monday, established a nine-point advantage in the second quarter (21-12) when it went on an 8-0 run and were always up in the scoreboard.

US guard Jen Ruddell scored a game-high 18 points, including 12 in the second half, and added six rebounds.

She was joined by Stephanie Wheeler, who posted 11 points and seven rebounds.

For the losing side, only Liesl Tesch reached double figures, scoring 10 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

The US team (2-0) will play Great Britain in its third match at the USTB Gymnasium, while Australia (2-1) will face Germany (1-1) at the Indoor National Stadium. Both matches will be played on Wednesday, September 10.

Great Britain 61 Brazil 29

Great Britain won its first game of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in a demolition of Brazil in its third Group A game of Women's Wheelchair Basketball at the USTB Gymnasium on Tuesday.

Based on good defense and inside shots, the Great Britain team started the second half strong and established a double-digit lead (32-20) that was never reduced by the South Americans.

Four British players scored more than 10 points. Clare Strange, Caroline Maclean, Sally Wager and Helen Turner combined for 46 points. The Europeans outscored Brazil in the paint 48-14.

Brazil struggled even to handle the ball as the British were very good picking and avoiding Jucilene Moraes, Brazil's most strategic player, to organize the team's offense. Moraes was the South Americans’ top scorer with 12 points but missed 18 of her 23 shots from the floor.

Great Britain (1-2) secured its spot to the quarterfinals and will now play Team USA (2-0) at the USTB Gymnasium on Wednesday, September 10. Winless Brazil's (0-3) last match will be on Thursday also against the US team, but they have no chance of advancing to the quarterfinals.

FIBA