Freeman and Grady unable to help Great Britain to victory (From Watford Observer)

Watford's Helen Freeman and Sarah Grady unable to help Great Britain to victory

5:56pm Thursday 30th August 2012 in Sport

There was disappointment for Watford wheelchair basketballers Helen Freeman and Sarah Grady as Great Britain lost their opening match.

Former Rickmansworth School pupils Freeman and Grady both netted points in Great Britain’s 62-35 defeat against the Netherlands.

Freeman scored all of her points in the opening period and an early basket helped put the host nation into 3-0 ahead.

But the Dutch side battled back and at the end of the opening quarter the match was tied at 8-8.

The Dutch stepped up the pace, scoring eight points unopposed late in the second period, to extend their lead to 20-14 at the halfway mark.

They continued to extend their advantage in the third quarter but co-captain Grady found the basket to reduce the deficit to eight points.

But as the team pressed in quarter three they were caught on the break, first by Inge Huitzing and then by Carolina de Rooij-Versloot.

Despite late baskets from Amy Conroy it was the Dutch that finished the contest the stronger, extending their lead from 38-24 at the end of the third quarter, to end the contest 62-35 in front and take the points.