Poor foul shooting costs Canada’s women late in world wheelchair basketball loss | CBC Sports

Trailing late, Canada’s free throw struggles coupled with a 24-second shot clock violation was the  team’s downfall in a 70-65 loss to Spain in women’s action Monday at the wheelchair basketball world championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Forward Kady Dandeneau, who scored a game-high 22 points, twice failed to convert from the foul line with about a minute left in the fourth quarter — the fourth straight missed attempt by the Canadians — with her team down 67-63.

Strong defence by Spain also kept its opponent off the board and forced the shot clock violation.

Spanish captain Sonia Ruiz put the game away at the Dubai World Trade Centre with a foul shot to make it 70-65 with 8.8 seconds remaining.

Canada saw its record slip to 1-1 following Saturday’s 61-56 win over Brazil and sits fifth of six teams in Group B. It will face Great Britain (2-1) on Tuesday (CBCSports.ca, 8:30 a.m. ET).

WATCH | Canada suffers 5-point loss to Spain in Dubai:

IWBF women’s wheelchair basketball world championships: Canada vs. Spain

Watch Canada face Spain at the IWBF women’s wheelchair basketball world championships from Dubai.

Arrin Young added 16 points and nine rebounds while Elodie Tessier and five-time Paralympian Cindy Ouelett had eight points each.

Spain, which earned its first win after two losses, was led by Ruiz and her 18 points, five rebounds and game-high 12 assists. Beatriz Zudaire and Isabel Lopez had 16 and 15 points, respectively.

Not much separated the teams for much of the game, which was tied after each of the first three quarters: 18-18, 32-32 and 52-52.

Canada opened a five-point lead near the halfway mark of the 10-minute third quarter but Spain quickly pulled even on a Zudaire basket. Ruiz later knotted matters at 43-43 with two free throws and the squads exchanged points until the end of the quarter when the Spanish centre was assessed a technical foul after jawing with Dandeneau.

Lopez shone early in the second half and put her team ahead 60-58 midway through the fourth quarter.

Dandeneau had a great opportunity to draw Canada even at 62-62 but the Toronto resident’s second foul shot bounced off the front of the rim. She was 5-of-10 shooting from the free throw line.

With 1:46 left, Spain increased its advantage to five points. The Canadians tried to inch closer with a Tessier layup but quickly encountered foul trouble.

The quarterfinals are Saturday, followed by the semifinals Sunday and medal matches on June 20.

The world championships determine the number of spots each zone will receive for the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.

Canada’s women and men will compete in the Nov. 17-26 Parapan American Games, which serve as the Americas zone qualification tournament for next year’s Summer Games.