Paris, France (Sept. 5, 2024) – Completely smothered, Jake Williams changed directions a few times attempting to create space on the left side. Eventually, he just had to heave the ball up as the shot clock wound down.

It was another successful defensive possession for Team Canada, who held an 8-2 lead over Team USA a few minutes into the game.

Until it wasn’t.

Trevon Jenifer swooped in and won the offensive rebound. He dished the ball to Brian Bell, and Bell scored his first basket of the game.

13 made field goals and three made free throws later, Bell had a game-high 31 points to go along with ten rebounds. His performance allowed Team USA to pull away from Canada, winning 80-43 in the men’s wheelchair basketball semifinals.

Bell’s gaudy performance came from his ability to get good looks at the basket. Williams and team captain Steve Serio combined for 20 assists, including a plethora to Bell.

“I know that teams are going to jump Jake,” Bell said. “He’s one of the best shooters in the world. So just to be able to capitalize on that, and then once they jump, being able to attack their two-on-one and utilize the inside presence.”

That inside presence was the key to Team USA’s dominance. Canada was held to 38% shooting from inside the three-point line, and struggled to enter the paint for much of the game.

When Canada was playing its best basketball in the first half, superstar Patrick Anderson was easily able to find positioning down low. He received a few passes from Colin Higgins and had 16 first-half points.

By the end of the first half, the U.S. full-court press defense forced Canada to send more players into the backcourt. Anderson would wait in the frontcourt, but couldn’t enter the lane, as he was the point man receiving the press-breaking passes, and turning to initiate half-court offense.

“Our plan was to push up the tempo a little bit,” Bell said. “So press them a little bit, make their top threats a little tired. We know that that would benefit us as the game goes on because we can rotate some of our guys in and out.”

Team USA trailed 16-10, but immediately went on a 19-5 run to take a commanding lead. At the end of the run, Canada got a defensive stop, but couldn’t get the ball across half-court in time. Jenifer had Vincent Dallaire trapped, and by the time Anderson finally got the basketball from him, eight seconds had already passed.

Immediately, Bell punctuated the run by beating the buzzer of the shot clock off of Williams’ feed.

Taking an eight-point lead into halftime didn’t satisfy the Stars and Stripes though.

Williams, who shot two-for-eight from the field in the first half, exploded after recess. He went seven-for-nine in the final stages, finishing with a 20-point, 11-assist double-double.

“I think it’s always my night with the shot,” he said. “I think their defensive plan was to take away shots from me, but that’s when I look for my teammates. Whether my shot is falling or not, I just try to do my best to make an impact.”

With his shot falling in the second, Team USA’s momentum continued to build.

“We know he’s a great shooter,” Bell said of his teammate. “But he’s also a great playmaker. If teams are not going to honor him and jump him, he’s going to shoot. If they do, he’s going to find the open guy.”

Additionally, the defensive momentum from the end of the first half continued, and the lead ballooned.

Anderson, who’d been so important to keeping Canada in the game, went silent. He didn’t score a single point in the second, settling for long and contested mid-range shots.

“We were just making sure that if we jump out at him,” Bell said of the gameplan against Anderson. “That the second guy coming from the other side gets to his chair early so he doesn’t come around it. Then making sure that they pass down to littles, and have the littles take the tough shots.” 

Canada scored just 11 points in the entire second half, and the U.S. cruised to victory.

On Saturday, Team USA takes on Great Britain in search of its third consecutive gold medal.