Men tipped off Commonwealth Games with commanding win over Kenya
Canada opened the men's 3x3 wheelchair basketball tournament at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in dominant fashion on Friday, defeating Kenya 16-3 in its opening Pool A contest in Glasgow, Scotland.
“I think the nerves were a little shaky,” said Garrett Ostepchuk. “It's our first game in the tournament. We came in like maybe put a little too much pressure on ourselves.
“We just got to take a little breath, step into those shots that we take consistently.”
Team Canada controlled the game from the opening possession, holding Kenya to just three points while shooting 47 per cent. Canada also forced 15 Kenyan turnovers and owned the glass with a 24-15 rebounding advantage.
Reed De'Aeth led the Canadian offence with a game-high eight points, adding a team-best 11 rebounds and two key assists. Ostepchuk chipped in four points and two assists, while Lee Melymick and Kyrell Sopotyk each scored two points.
Canada's defence was equally impressive, limiting Kenya to just 1-of-14 shooting.
Canada returns to the court on Sunday at 9 a.m. EDT when it takes on England in its second pool play matchup.
Women open title defence with dominant win over South Africa
On the women’s side, Team Canada began the defence of its Commonwealth Games gold with a 19-3 victory over South Africa in its opening Pool A game.
“I’m very proud of the team; I think we really kept focused the entire way, and it showed on the court today,” said Élodie Tessier.
Canada controlled the contest from start to finish, shooting 62 per cent, while holding South Africa to just three points on 3-of-21 shooting. The Canadians also forced 16 turnovers and finished with a 16-11 advantage on the boards.
Tessier paced the Canadian attack with a game-high 10 points on an efficient 10-of-13 shooting performance. She also added four rebounds and two assists. Kady Dandeneau contributed seven points, six rebounds and three assists, while Puisand Lai chipped in two points and three rebounds. Rosie Long added three assists and a rebound in the victory.
“It was nice to kind of get that first game out of the way and get into the rhythm of playing; that was nice,” Dandeneau said.
Canada's defence set the tone throughout the contest, limiting South Africa to just one successful shot from each of its three scorers.
The victory gives Canada a strong start in Pool A as it begins its pursuit of a second consecutive Commonwealth Games title.
Canada is back in action Sunday for its second pool play game against England at 7:45 a.m. EDT.
Game statistics and schedules for Canada's 3x3 wheelchair basketball campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games are available here.
Team Canada enters Glasgow as one of the world's premier 3x3 wheelchair basketball nations. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham—the sport's major multi-sport debut—the Canadian women captured gold while the men earned silver. Canada continued that success by sweeping both gold medals at the inaugural IWBF 3x3 Open World Championships in Sun City, South Africa, with both the men's and women's teams finishing atop the podium in 2025.