Canada was trailing the USA by three points with just 16.5 seconds left in the semifinal game. A loss would have meant there was no chance for Canada to complete a third straight gold medal run. Somehow, even though the opponent had to know it was coming, the Canadians got the ball to Patrick Anderson – probably the best player in the world - and he calmly launched a three-point shot that sent the huge Canadian contingent into a frenzy and sent the game to overtime.

Anderson hit some key shots in that first overtime too, helping his team come from behind to tie the game again, sending it to a second overtime. In the second extra period, the Canadians finally were able to create some space between themselves and the Americans to win 69-62 thereby earning a trip to the gold medal game against Australia. Anderson scored 33 points in all, plus an amazing 21 rebounds, 6 assists, and he was fouled 13 times - number one in each category.

But those numbers only scratch the surface of Canada's number 12. He reminds me of Alexander Ovechkin, the NHL player with the Washington Capitals. Like Ovechkin, Anderson's talent level is scary and he plays with a kind of reckless abandon. But, you never really get the sense that he's reckless or has abandoned the team concept. In his made-for-basketball wheelchair Anderson darts and weaves and fights off double teams and sometimes when you think he has a great chance to score he'll pass to someone else who he thinks has an even better chance to score.

When you talk with Anderson he immediately deflects the praise to others calling basketball a "team game" where everyone has a job to do. Of course he is right. His team includes other star players like Jamie Borisoff – a bio-medical engineer off the floor / captain on it, and Joey Johnson – who fought through injury to collect 13 rebounds, many of them in the most crucial moments. But sometimes, even team games give us individual performances that shine above the rest. That was the case on Sunday night at the National Indoor Stadium here in Beijing.

Anderson is 29 years old, born in Edmonton but raised in the town of Fergus, Ontario and lives today in Vancouver. When he was 9 years old, he was hit by a drunk driver and lost both of his legs at the knees. That’s only part of his life story. Soon after, he discovered wheelchair basketball and eventually led Canada's junior team to World Championship gold. His skill earned him an NCAA scholarship at the University of Illinois.

Now, after winning Paralympic gold in Sydney and Athens he and his mates are on the verge of doing it again.

The word is, that the Canadian men’s sledge hockey team is dying to get a jersey on Anderson for the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver. Canada is the reigning champion in that event too. He could be the Clara Hughes of Canadian Paralympic sport.

I wonder how many Canadians have heard of this "superstar".