Grant Shephard, a Kelowna native who plays with the UBC Thunderbirds, won a silver medal with Canada at the Commonwealth Games. Last year in Egypt, he helped Canada to gold at the world U19 championship.-Image: Gothunderbirds.ca

Grant Shephard, a Kelowna native who plays with the UBC Thunderbirds, won a silver medal with Canada at the Commonwealth Games. Last year in Egypt, he helped Canada to gold at the world U19 championship.-Image: Gothunderbirds.ca

Silver lining for Kelowna’s Shephard and Team Canada

Kelowna's Grant Shephard finishes second with Canada in men's basketball at the Commonwealth Games

  • Apr. 15, 2018 12:00 a.m.

Grant Shephard has won his second international medal in less than a year.

The 6-foot-10, 225-pound Kelowna product helped Canada to a silver-medal showing Sunday at the Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast.

The Canadians reached the final against the host Aussies who dominated en route to an 87-47 win and the gold medal.

Related: Shephard to don Maple Leaf Down Under

Shepard finished the Commonwealth Games tournament with 15 points in 51 minutes of play over a six-game span.

The Canadians advanced to the final in dramatic fashion, defeating New Zealand 88-86 in the semifinal on a three-point buzzer beater by Mamadou Gueye.

Related: Canadian men go for gold after buzzer-beater at the Commonwealth Games

Last summer, Shephard, a former player at KSS, won gold with Team Canada at the FIBA world U19 championship in Cairo, Egypt.

Related: Kelowna’s Shephard a world champion

Shephard had a strong freshman season with the UBC Thunderbirds, being named the Canada West rookie of the year. In 20 regular season games with the T-Birds, he averaged 8.8 points and 4.4 rebounds.

Shephard also helped the KSS Owls to the B.C. 4A high school boys championship gold in 2016.

To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.

<p<


@KelownaCapNewsnewstips@kelownacapnews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Kelowna Capital News