Ontario’s undefeated men’s team will look to defend its national title on Sunday when it takes on Alberta in the gold medal game at the Richmond Olympic Oval in Richmond, B.C.
Ontario capped off a perfect round robin with a pair of convincing victories on Sunday.
Jesse McNalley recorded a dominant double-double with a game-high 20 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in a 79-43 win over Quebec. Lee Melymick added 17 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Ibrahim Ozda chipped in with 15 points and four rebounds.
Ontario followed it up with an 88-42 victory over British Columbia to finish round robin play with an unblemished 4-0 record. McNalley once again led the charge with 18 points, four assists and three rebounds, while Ozda contributed 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.
“Our team is getting along well and playing with good chemistry,” said Melymick. “We’re competitive out there every game, so it’s good.
“We’ve got to be ready, get good rest, and we should be good for Sunday’s gold medal game.”
The two finalists previously met on Day 1 of the National Championships, when Ontario defeated Alberta 66-40.
Alberta secured its place in the gold medal game after bouncing back from a narrow 75-72 loss to Saskatchewan earlier in the day. Alberta responded with an emphatic 89-64 win over Quebec to close out round robin action.
Nik Goncin delivered a game-high 49 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, while Chad Jassman added 10 points and seven assists in the victory.
In the women’s division, the gold medal game will feature a rematch of last year’s championship final, which Quebec won 68-42 over British Columbia at Durham College in Oshawa, Ont.
British Columbia enters the final as the lone undefeated team in the women’s division after edging Quebec 54-53 on Saturday morning. Elise Froese led the way with 24 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, while Lannette Boland added 14 points and four rebounds.
The host province closed out round robin play with a convincing 66-35 win over the Rest of Canada. Froese once again paced British Columbia with 16 points and five rebounds, while Boland contributed 14 points in the victory.
“Hoping the hometown crowd can bring a little luck for us,” said Tara Llanes. “We’re still getting used to playing together.
“I think game-by-game we’re being more communicative, and we’re reading each other’s minds a little bit better – that helps.”
After suffering the narrow loss to British Columbia, Quebec rebounded with a 54-35 win over Ontario to secure its spot in Sunday’s gold medal game. Meriam Fassi-Fehri and Cindy Ouellet each scored 14 points to lead Quebec, while Ouellet also added nine rebounds and five assists.
The 2026 National Championships conclude Sunday at the Richmond Olympic Oval, with medal-round action beginning at 8:00 a.m. PDT.
Press release: Wheelchair Basketball Canada | Photo: Mark Steffens