MADRID, 18 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish women’s wheelchair basketball team suffered its first defeat this Thursday in the qualification tournament for next summer’s Paris Paralympic Games that is being held in Osaka (Japan) by clearly losing to Canada 49-77.
After winning the first game easily against France (57-38), the team coached by Franck Belén could not pass its first test against the North Americans, overwhelming in the second half and led by a sensational Kady Dandeneau, author of 35 points ( 4/5 in triples), 13 rebounds and 6 assists, well supported by Arinn Young (20).
Spain, who had beaten the Canadians in one of their duels in the last World Cup in Dubai, resisted in the first 20 minutes, but could not contain their rival in the second half, which ended with a clear and definitive 26-46 .
Canada, which had just devastated Japan in its first match, began by warning of its offensive potential and threatened with a first escape (5-11), but the Spanish tightened their defense and signed an 8-1 run to take the lead and leave things even after the first quarter (15-17).
Franck Belén’s team could not maintain defensive intensity in the second quarter, especially in the final stretch. The current European bronze medalist managed to hold on with less than three minutes remaining (23-24), but he could no longer score more and his rival went to half-time with more comfort (24-31).
And that final trend continued in the second half, Dandeneau began to score from the triple and the Spanish attack got stuck and the final takeoff took place. The North Americans faced the final ten minutes with the match very much on track (35-53) where they did not let up to take the victory and, barring any surprise, first place in the group.
For its part, Spain, where the ‘double-double’ of Beatriz Zudaire (12 points and 12 rebounds) and the contribution in attack of Naiara Rodríguez (10 points) stood out, will now play for the important second place this Friday (10:15 am) against the host and a more affordable crossing in the quarterfinals.