GB Mens

Great Britain’s Men produced a sensational comeback to beat Australia 70:69 to top Pool B having been 20 points down in the second quarter. 

Player-coach Gaz Choudhry top-scored with 28 points, including 22 second-half points, as ParalympicsGB fought back in the final two quarters for GB claim a tense, but thrilling, one-point victory to set-up Wednesday’s quarter-final meeting with Canada. 

It was another heart-pumping game for anyone watching from home, but, on the court, there was composure, determination and fight. 

Australia had built a seven-point lead with four minutes gone in the opening quarter, despite early GB points from Choudhry and Lee Manning, who both ended the game with double-doubles. Four points from outside the paint from Abdi Jama, and two points for Gregg Warburton closed the gap to two just under halfway through the opening quarter. 

But a run of 14 points for Australia against GB’s one saw Australia take the first quarter 27:12. 

There was a change of line-up for GB as the second quarter began but Australia continued their momentum from the end to the opening quarter and grew their lead to 20 points with five minutes left of the half. 

GB responded well, working hard to limit Australia’s scoring opportunities and to re-claim possession from defence with three steals and four turnovers in the quarter. Seven points from Gregg Warburton, including a three-pointer, and two points from Choudhry inside the final minute saw GB finish the half strongly and cut Australia’s lead to 13 with the final two quarters still to come. 

As the second-half began, ParalympicsGB reverted back to their starting five line-up of Choudhry, Warburton, Jama, Manning and Harry Brown. GB started the second-half with intensity, four points from inside the paint for Manning getting GB off to a quick start. 

Nine points from Choudhry, six points from Manning and two points from Warburton saw GB draw the score level with just over three minutes to go in the third quarter as GB defended strongly. 

Despite a successful free-throw from Choudhry and four more points for Warburton, it was a five-point game heading into the final quarter with Australia leading 50:55 as Manning’s field-goal attempt bounced off the rim on the buzzer. 

It was a lead that was back to one when Warburton added four points from outside the paint from Choudhry’s assists. As GB responded, so did Australia, extending their lead to seven points with three minutes, 42 seconds left on the clock. 

The decisive spell in the game then followed for GB. After two points each from Choudhry and Warburton reduced Australia’s lead to three, Australia responded with a basket of their own. But, within seconds, their lead was two, a three-pointer from Choudhry making the score 67:65. 

A steal from Choudhry started a play that saw Warburton draw a foul on the fast break and his one from the line made it a one-point game with two minutes to go, taking his tally for the game to 22 points. 

The game was then turned on its head, GB leading for the first time, when Manning scored from inside the paint with 84 seconds left, assisted by Brown. Australia’s lead was soon restored, Jannick Blair scoring from close-range. 

What proved to be the game’s decisive points came from Choudhry, 61 seconds to go, created his own shooting opportunity, and delivered to send GB back into a one-point lead. 

GB defended defiantly, forcing Australia into a shot clock violation in the final minute, as GB held out superbly to complete a sensational comeback and seal a 70:69 win. 

Great Britain’s Men reached their seventh successive Paralympic Games semi-finals after producing another superb fightback to beat Canada 66:52 in the quarter-finals. 

ParalympicsGB were 10 points down in the third quarter, but came back to win by 14 points to reach another major semi-final. Player-coach Gaz Choudhry recorded a triple-double of 21 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds, while Lee Manning and Gregg Warburton scored 17 and 16 points, respectively. 

It was a back and forth opening two quarters with the game tied 10 times and both teams having spells in the lead during the first 20 minutes. All of the GB starting five of Choudhry, Manning, Warburton, Harry Brown and Abdi Jama had scored points by the time the clock had ticked past halfway in the first quarter. 

GB had built a lead of four points, but Canada finished the quarter strongly to take a two-point lead into the second period of 10 minutes. 

The start of the second-quarter followed a similar pattern to the first; both teams cancelling each other out in the early stages as Choudhry and Jama both had success from outside the paint to add to the GB points tally. 

It was, however, Canada who had the upper hand heading into half-time, despite good defensive pressure by GB and points from Choudhry and Terry Bywater in the final minutes of the second quarter, as Canada took a four-point lead into half-time, 26:30. 

Gregg Warburton found his shooting rhythm at the start of the third quarter, scoring four points early. Canada, however, extended their lead to 10 points with just over four minutes left in the third quarter.  

But ParalympicsGB GB responded brilliantly. The next 10 points were all scored by GB; baskets from Brown, Warburton, Manning and Choudhry drawing GB back level. An important scoring run to make it a one-point game heading into the final quarter after Patrick Anderson added a point for Canada from the free-throw line late in the quarter. 

It was set-up to be another grandstand, but nail-biting finale, for ParalympicsGB supporters watching back home. But on the court GB remained calm and composed. Four points from Warburton gave GB a three-point lead within 90 seconds of the start of a final quarter that saw GB outscore their opponents, 24:9. 

It was another superb performance by ParalympicsGB, built on a robust defensive display, particularly in the second-half, and high-quality shooting. 

After two early baskets for Warburton at the start of the final quarter and two points from Manning, GB had gone from trailing at the start of the quarter to a three-point lead within two-and-a-half minutes of the restart. 

With Manning, Warburton and Choudhry continuing their scoring, including a three-pointer from Choudhry, GB had established a 14-point lead with three-and-a-half minutes to go. Excellent defensive play and game management ensured there was not going to be another tense conclusion to the game as ParalympicsGB held firm to record a 66:52 win. 

ParalympicsGB’s Men’s Team will play Japan in the semi-finals on Friday (3 September). Time TBC. 

Great Britain’s Men will play for bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games after coming-up against a strong Japanese team in the semi-finals, losing 68:79 in a highly-competitive and close-fought game. 

It was another resilient display from ParalympicsGB with Gaz Choudhry scoring a game-high 26 points and double-figure points totals for Lee Manning, Gregg Warburton and Abdi Jama, but it was the hosts Japan who progressed through to the final and GB will now fight for bronze against Spain on Sunday. 

ParalympicsGB made a fast and confident start to the game; Lee Manning putting GB three points ahead with 11 seconds gone on the clock with a basket and free-throw as GB dominated the early play. 

Abdi Jama found space outside the paint and was as clinical and consistent as he has been from those positions throughout the competition, ending the first quarter with eight points. Choudhry and Warburton were influential with the ball, both in terms of assists and points scored, both scoring four points in the opening quarter as GB led 15:23 after the opening 10 minutes. 

It was a lead that would extend to 10 thanks to Manning’s composure from the free-throw line after neither team scored a basket in the opening two minutes of the second quarter. A three-pointer from Gaz Choudhry restored the 10-point lead as Japan began to find the basket consistently. 

Japan’s on-point shooting, including from the three-point line, cut the lead to four points with four minutes to go in the second quarter, but, just as they have done throughout the tournament, Manning and Choudhry added important points to the scoreboard in response. 

But the last scoring of the second quarter saw GB’s lead cut to three with Japan’s fourth three-pointer of the game. 

A back and forth start to the third quarter saw Japan lead for the first time in the game, but, ParalympicsGB made sure they responded. Player-coach Choudhry leading the scoring response with the lead changing five times in the opening two-and-a-half minutes of the third quarter. 

Japan put a scoring run together and build a four-point lead but Choudhry and Warburton responded from inside the paint for ParalympicsGB. After Warburton brought the scores back level, Japan’s lead went to six but a basket from outside the paint with 31 seconds left of the quarter saw Warburton bring GB to within four points with one quarter to go. 

It was set-up to be another nail-biting finish for everyone watching and, while the score line may suggest it wasn’t a tense conclusion to the match, especially when looking back at the one-point wins against USA and Australia, it certainly got the heart-pumping as GB fought to the very end and ensured Japan had to work extremely hard for victory. 

The opening minutes of the fourth quarter turned into a shootout between both teams as Japan extended their lead to seven with a three-pointer within the opening nine seconds of the quarter. It was the beginning of a spell that saw points scored on each team’s offence, Choudhry, Manning and Warburton all adding to their tallies, including another three-pointer for Choudhry which closed the gap back to three. 

With four minutes, 52 seconds left of the match, it was still a four-point game, the quarter score level at 15:15 as both teams showed incredible composure and quality when on offence. With only four points separating the team, it was a game that could have either way. 

But Japan held strong in defence and continued to add points to their total and a scoring run of 7-0 saw Japan lead by nine with three minutes to go. But ParalympicsGB never stopped believing, Manning and Harry Brown both cutting the lead to seven before a successful free-throw from Terry Bywater made it a six points difference with 67 seconds left on the clock. 

GB continued to fight, digging deep, trying to cut the deficit in the final minute, but it was Japan who would go onto extend their lead further as they won 68:79. 

Great Britain’s Men claimed a brilliant bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Games after a 68:58 victory over Spain in the bronze medal match. 

Gaz Choudhry top-scored with 19 points and there was a double-double for Lee Manning as ParalympicsGB claimed bronze after another outstanding team performance. 

ParalympicsGB have shown incredible resilience and determination throughout the Tokyo competition, coming from behind time after time, and, after trailing by two points at half-time. 

There was nothing to separate the teams at the end of a close opening quarter tied at 16:16. The early play saw both teams have time in the lead but a three-pointer from Choudhry and two points each from Manning and Harry Brown did allow GB to build a four-point lead. But four points from Spain in the final 76 seconds of the quarter levelled the scoring heading into quarter two. 

A scoring run of 11-3 at the start of the second quarter saw Spain establish an eight-point lead, but ParalympicsGB responded brilliantly. The top-scorer from the bronze medal game in Rio five years ago, Terry Bywater, once again leading the charge, scoring seven points, including a three-pointer, in a 70 second spell to cut Spain’s lead to one. 

Spain did build their lead back up to five but two points from Manning and a free-throw from Jim Palmer made it a two-point game at the halfway stage. 

GB made a brilliant start to the third quarter; points from Choudhry and Warburton turning what was a two-point deficit into a four-point lead less than three minutes into the quarter. Abdi Jama again showed his accurate and consistent shooting from outside the paint to extend GB’s lead to 12 after Choudhry, Manning and Warburton also added to their totals for the match. 

By the time the buzzer sounded at the end of quarter three, GB had increased their half-time total by 22 points, while limiting Spain to just 10 points through a strong defensive display. 

ParalympicsGB’s lead was 10 points heading into the final quarter; a lead that was extended by four in the opening 43 seconds of the quarter through points from Manning and Choudhry. 

Spain put together their own scoring run, cutting GB’s lead to six with five minutes, 42 seconds to go, but, another two points from Choudhry from outside the paint and a free-throw and two-point field goal for Manning took GB’s lead back above 10 points. 

That lead was halved back to five with 76 seconds to go, setting-up another tense conclusion to the game for fans watching back home. But Bywater showed incredible composure, adding four points from the free-throw line to give GB a nine-point with 51 seconds left. 

That was soon 11 when Choudhry took his tally to 19 points for the match with another two from the line. Excellent game management and brilliant defensive work saw ParalympicsGB hold firm to secure a fantastic 68:58 win.