No. 12 LWSRA, No. 9 WWAR each knock off lower seeds
Guess who’s back making noise in a new National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) Division? The Lincolnway Special Recreation Center Association (LWSRA) Hawks.
Last year, they made a surprise run to capture the NWBA Division II title. On Thursday, the No. 12 seed upset the No. 5 seed in the first round of the NWBA Division I Tournament.
LWSRA hit some momentum-boosting 3-pointers in both halves and also sank three key free throws in the game’s final 10 seconds to hold on for a 60-56 victory over No. 5 seed MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) Punishers on Thursday at West Monroe Sports & Events complex in West Monroe, La. They’ll take on the No. 4 seed New York Rollin’ Knicks on Friday, which defeated FEBASIRU Puerto Rico, 68-18, in another first-round game. This year, Division I started a day ahead of Division II and Division III and will wrap up Saturday evening, while the other two division championships will be Sunday.
Thomas Duffy was key with the 3-pointers, hitting one to close the first quarter to give the Hawks an 18-14 lead, another to give them a 37-34 lead with 5 minutes and 50 seconds left in the third quarter and then one more to lift them to a 52-43 advantage with 4:25 remaining in the fourth quarter.
“It’s about identifying some of those momentum shots with moving the ball and playing more in the flow of the offense. But I think it’s finding that balance. And we found that in that game,” Duffy says.
MedStar NRH stayed close, though, and with a Harsh Thakkar 3-pointer, cut the deficit to 57-54 with 24 seconds left in the game. But LWSRA’s Matthew Talbot calmly swished two free-throw attempts with 23.9 seconds remaining, and after a Kevin Atherley rebound basket cut the deficit down to 59-56 with 10.1 seconds remaining, Duffy sank 1-of-2 free throws with 9.9 seconds to put the Hawks back up by four points. The Punishers’ Bryce Doody missed two 3-pointers at the end and the Hawks advanced. This time they made sure Thakkar wasn’t going to get the ball.
“We had several spots on him where if he was going left or right, help was always available, and we were helping off that threat pretty hard,” Duffy says.
Generals Press On
Meanwhile, in the opening first-round Division I game, No. 9 seed Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch (WWAR) Generals pulled away for a 72-53 victory over the No. 8-seeded Utah Wheelin’ Jazz, thanks to its press defense. Pierre Sturgis, Paul Schulte and Sam Armas each finished 15-plus points, and Schulte also recorded double-digit rebounds, as well. They’ll take on the No. 1 seed Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks in a Friday quarterfinal.
Trailing 15-11 with 8:36 left in the second quarter, WWAR went on a 17-0 run over the next 4-plus minutes. Sturgis scored six points during the run, while Schulte had four and Armas had two. That put the Generals up 28-15 with 4:03 left in the second quarter. Their press forced Utah into 10 first-half turnovers, including three during the run.
“Our press is something that we take pride in as a team. We strive to have some of the best speed and share skills in the country. And we were able to show it off in that game. Just playing fundamental defense, all communicating together, being on the same page,” says Armas, who was born with spina bifida and started playing wheelchair basketball at age 13. Utah answered with a third-quarter spurt, trimming the deficit to just 44-38 with 3:40 left in the period. But Armas scored six of the Generals’ next 10 points to push their lead back up to double-digits, 52-42, at the end of the quarter, and the Generals closed the game out.
But Armas thinks WWAR could’ve done better at the start.
“We need to come out of the gates a little bit more composed. The thing about the press is it’s designed to speed up the other team at a pace that they’re not comfortable playing. And that was kind of the case for us. Even though we were inflicting the press, I think we were sped up. We had a few silly turnovers,” Armas says. “So, we need to come out a little bit more composed and take care of the ball a little bit better. And if we can do that and piece it together for a full game, then we’re going to be in a really good position.”
In the two late semifinal games, the No. 6 seed Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association (WASA) Eagles defeated the No. 11 seed Golden State Road Warriors, 59-44, and the No. 7 seed Los Angeles (LA) Clippers Chairmen knocked off No. 10 seed Bayou City, 56-55. WASA will take on the No. 3 seed Rancho Halos on Friday, while LA will face the No. 2-seeded Mary Free Bed Pacers.
NWBA National Wheelchair Basketball Championships
March 26
Adults
Division I
First Round
No. 4 New York Rollin’ Knicks 68, No. 13 FEBASIRU Puerto Rico 18
No. 12 Lincolway Special Recreation Center Association (LWSRA) Hawks 60, No. 5 MedStar National Rehabilitation Center Punishers 56
No. 9 Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch Generals 72, No. 8 Utah Wheelin’ Jazz 53
No. 6 Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association (WASA) Eagles, No. 11 Golden State Road Warriors 44
No. 7 Los Angeles Clippers Chairmen 56, No. 10 Bayou City 55