Scotland opened their men’s 3x3 wheelchair basketball Commonwealth Games campaign with a 15-9 win over South Africa at The SEC Centre on Saturday.
The match marked Scotland’s men’s debut in the Commonwealth Games version of the event. Commonwealth Sport said Ross McConnell, aged 47, was part of the side alongside Finlay Erskine, Shayne Humphries and Tyler Baines.
McConnell’s appearance came after a late return to a higher level of playing. The report said he had been winding down his playing career and concentrating more on coaching and development at North East Warriors in Newcastle before being approached about the Glasgow 2026 squad.
The Scottish team combined McConnell’s experience with younger players. Erskine and Humphries were both listed as 20, while Baines was 24, giving the host nation a mixed group for its first Commonwealth men’s 3x3 wheelchair basketball match.
The result gave Scotland an immediate win in front of the home Games crowd. Commonwealth Sport also reported that Scotland’s women won under player-coach Robyn Love on the same day, although the men’s 15-9 victory over South Africa was the result attached to McConnell’s debut.
For McConnell and Scotland, Saturday’s game provided a successful start to the competition. The official account confirmed the score, the venue and the team context for a first appearance in the men’s Commonwealth 3x3 wheelchair basketball event.