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Over the last four days at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, the classification games of the men’s wheelchair basketball competition were played.
Finishing their Tokyo 2020 campaign in style, the Aussie Rollers produced some of their best basketball of the tournament to beat Turkey 74-58 and secure fifth place overall.
The Rollers established a 23-18 lead by quarter time, which they extended to 39-24 at the main break and 59-40 at three-quarter time. The commanding 19 point lead ensured the Rollers had done to secure victory, in spite of losing the last quarter 15-18, and finishing in fifth-place.
Germany defeated Canada 68-56 on Friday in the 7-8 playoff game.
Canada led 21-19 after one quarter. Germany opened the second quarter on a 13-6 run to take a 32-27 lead and led 37-31 at the break. The Germans scored four unanswered to open a 10-point lead 2:19 into this quarter and took a 50-41 lead into the fourth, a lead which they sustained to claim the win.
The seventh-place finish for Germany moved them up one place from Rio standings, whilst the eighth-place finish by the Canadian men’s team is an improvement on the 11th place performance in 2016.
In the 9-10 place playoff, it was an all-Asian match-up as Korea took on Iran to determine who would end the competition in 9th place.
Both teams went into the game with one victory apiece. Korea were slightly fresher in the first half of the game, as they led by 4 at halftime, 30-26. Throughout the third quarter, Iran found their offensive rhythm to win as they swung the lead in their favour winning the quarter 12-21 and taking a 5-point lead into the fourth period. Iran built upon this momentum to finish with a 54-64 for Iran.
Columbia and Algeria suited up to battle for 11th place. Both teams were not only looking to claim a win in Tokyo, but the win also had a bigger significance. A win would secure an extra spot for next year’s IWBF World Championships in Dubai for the teams’ respective zone - if Algeria wins, Africa will get an extra spot in Dubai and if Colombia wins, the Americas would have another spot.
Colombia quickly demonstrated how much they really wanted to get the conciliatory last win in Tokyo. Building up an early lead in the first quarter and even though Algeria won the second quarter (11-15) Colombia were up 33-16 at halftime. Colombia continued to extend that lead in the second half and finish with a resounding 70-47 victory. Securing the extra place for the Americas Zone at next years’ World Championships.
For a full wheelchair basketball schedule and results click here.
Photo: Shingo Ito X-1/ Quote OIS
