'We just couldn't hang on for long enough' (From Watford Observer)

Watford's Helen Freeman reflects on Paralympics GB's late defeat to Germany

12:36pm Wednesday 5th September 2012 in Sport By Jonathan North

Watford-born Helen Freeman produced a superb performance in the quarter-final of the Paralympics wheelchair basketball last night, but it wasn’t enough to see Great Britain through.

GB eventually lost a tightly contested game 55-44 against Germany, with the victors’ experience proving the main difference.

Germany, who won silver in Athens in 2008, were down by three points going into the final quarter but the final stages of the match saw them qualify for the semi-finals.

A combination of missed GB opportunities and some deadly shooting from the Germans saw them score 11 points within the last five minutes.

Freeman finished as GB top scorer, accumulating 19 points and also creating the most shots for her team, setting up a further eight points.

However, despite her excellent individual performance, Freeman could not hide her disappointment at the end.

“It’s obviously really gutting to lose in the end, but we gave them a good fight,” said the 22 year old. “They are the Beijing silver medallists, and they been undefeated so far, and we’ve just played them closer than any team has.

“We still made errors so we’ve still got more to come for the rest of the tournament and we’re definitely going for fifth now.

“You can’t say that losing a medal hope is not disappointing, it absolutely is, but we’ve got to keep our heads high, we’ve got a lot to be proud of, and get ready for our next game.

“Everyone put everything they could in, and ultimately Germany just pipped it at the end, but we gave it our all. We held in there and kept fighting all the way. We just couldn’t hang on for long enough.”

Germany will now go on to face Holland in the semi-final tomorrow, while the GB women will face China in a classification match earlier in the morning at the North Greenwich Arena.

Freeman, who now studies in the USA, was joined on the court by fellow former Rickmansworth School pupil Sarah Brady.