大象传媒

Maybe it was national pride or just a real desire to see the team reach the final, but I really felt the could do it and finally end 12 years of hurt with a return to the final of the Paralympic basketball competition.

Alas, it was not to be and the culprits were the old enemy, the mighty Aussie Rollers. ('Flaming Galahs' I believe is how our antipodean friends would put it.)

Mind you, we did play like a bunch of "Great Galuts" for the game. (I must point out that I learnt all my Australian from Alf Stewart in Home and Away).

Giving the Rollers too much of a head start, GB ultimately paid the price for poor ball movement and sloppy defence, especially on Justin Eveson, who punished us by scoring 22 points.

The men's basketball competition has been a little bit disappointing for me with the standards of teams like Canada and Australia dropping.

Only the US have showed any real innovation with their exciting brand of small ball and their sometimes suicidal policy of shoot on sight.

GB have shown flashes of greatness against the US and Israel, but maybe it was just one Paralympics to soon for some of the new boys in the team and losing the head coach didn't help either.

The Australians have managed to close the gap and did well to win, although Canada have a few players past their best.

You should never write off the heart of a champion though, because in our North American friends have the greatest player of our time and I fear Kryptonite and few punctures may be the only things that could prevent him from taking the Canadian team to legendary status!

So, what of GB?

Johnny Pollock and his team did brilliantly get their bronze medal against the USA.

There were some old scores to settle for both teams, but well done GB - it's always a great feeling to get on that rostrum, whatever colour the medal.

Coach said the team would be happy to be back amongst the top four teams in the world and they've done that.

It was a from the women who have now discovered a style of play that suits them. Credit has to be given to coach Garry Peel and his coaching staff for this, as well as to all the players.

, Caroline Maclean, Sally Wager and Louise Sugden had some outstanding games, as did Helen Turner. But the women are lacking a dominant big player - all they need is one and a top three finish in 2012 is a possibility.

So my thoughts now - could it be wheelchair basketball's equivalent of 1966? You may laugh but the Paralympics are actually coming home!

In the next four years some serious work needs to be done. We are playing catch-up with Australia, the USA will only improve, Patrick Anderson will still be great and there's always gonna be a dark horse to upset the status quo.

You never know, they may all get lost on their way to the basketball final at the O2 and we can hopefully benefit from the power of local knowledge "Taxi please!"