Dallas, WASA to meet again in NWBA Adult Division I championship
It’s going to be a rematch of last year’s National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) Adult Division I final.
The No. 1 seed Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks and the No. 6 seed Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association (WASA) Marquette Eagles each dominated the third quarter of their Friday afternoon semifinal games and advanced to Saturday’s NWBA Adult Division I finals.
No. 1 Dallas went on a 20-point third-quarter run en route to a 64-47 semifinal victory over the No. 4-seeded New York Rollin’ Knicks at West Monroe Sports & Events complex in West Monroe, La., while No. 6 WASA went from a one-point halftime lead and up 14 points after three quarters as it rolled to a 77-66 victory over the No. 2-seeded Mary Free Bed Pacers.
WASA defeated Dallas in last year’s title game, but both their rosters look a little different this time around.
Dallas will head back to the championship game after what looked like it’d be a tight contest against New York. Dallas led just 19-14 after the first quarter and by just two points, 29-27, at halftime.
But the Wheelchair Mavericks opened the game up in the third quarter, going on a 22-2 run over the first 9 minutes of the third period and outscoring New York 22-5 in the quarter to build a 51-32 lead. Dallas’ Alejandro Pabon says the Wheelchair Mavericks talked about improving their intensity and defensive focus at halftime, along with adding press defense earlier and keeping the Knicks’ Patrick Anderson, a six-time Canadian Paralympian, from getting the ball down low.
“It’s just one possession and it’s got to go up and and I think, you know, it worked. Just kind of making them push the whole time instead of just a halfcourt defense,” Pabon says. “So, I think turning that press up on him, after we’ve seen, you know, they had a tough game to get to ours. It wasn’t easy for them. And just saying, ‘OK, well let’s make them push.’”
This year, Dallas also added three-time U.S. Paralympic wheelchair basketball player gold medalist Brian Bell to its team, as he and his family moved to the state.
Meanwhile, WASA had a back-and-forth first half with Mary Free Bed and led just 41-40 at halftime after the Pacers’ Cesar Villa made a basket just before the second-quarter buzzer.
But the Eagles responded in the third quarter, building a 63-49 lead by the end of that period. WASA’s Nate Hinze, a four-time U.S. Paralympic medalist, says the Eagles did a better job of taking care of the ball in the third quarter and keeping Mary Free Bed’s John Boie, a two-time U.S. Paralympic gold medalist, and Jimmy Moceri from beating them.
“Jimmy was our priority to find and John Boie, and just kind of limiting their damage and asking the other guys to beat us,” Hinze says.
WASA looks a little different, too, as its missing three-time U.S. Paralympic medalist Jake Williams. And Hinze says they know they’ll have to contend with Dallas’ bigger lineup and its press. He says they Eagles will have to push really hard and keep Dallas’ big men out of the paint.
“Just try to limit their looks as best as they can and really hope for keeping them outside the paint, make them shoot jump shots and hope they miss,” Hinze says. “But I mean, they’re going to be a very difficult opponent.”
Top Two Seeds, Two Middle Seeds Advance in Adult Division II
The top-seeded Kansas City Kings and second-seeded Arkansas Rollin’ Razorbacks each won two games Friday at West Monroe Sports & Events complex in West Monroe, La., and advanced to Saturday’s Adult Division II semifinals. But the two other teams joining them didn’t hold to seeding form.
After barely squeaking by the No. 16 seed Tampa Bay Strong Dogs, 49-47, in the first round, No. 1 seed Kansas City edged out the No. 8-seeded Lakeshore Storm, 57-53, in the quarterfinals. The Kings will take on the No. 5 seed Memorial Rehabilitation Sharks, which defeated the No. 12 seed Texas Ball Hogs, 57-34, in the first round and No. 4-seeded Tucson Lobos, 66-49, in the quarterfinals.
No. 2 seed Arkansas will meet the No. 6-seeded Ability360 Phoenix Suns in the second semifinal.
Arkansas advanced after winning both its games by more than 25 points, defeating the No. 15 seed Charlotte Rollin’ Hornets Teal, 70-43, in the first round and No. 7 seed Naval Medical Center San Diego Wolfpack, 62-20, in the quarterfinals.
Abliity360 knocked off the No. 11 seed ParaSport Spokane, 62-36, in the first round before upsetting the No. 3 seed Seattle Sonics, 57-48, in the quarterfinals.
Two Double-Digit Seeds Make Adult Division III Semifinals
While one half of the Adult Division III semifinals remained true to seed form, the other half will feature two double-digit seeds.
Both the No. 1-seeded Charlottesville Cardinals and No. 4-seeded Magee Spokesman Red each won two games Friday at West Monroe Sports & Events complex in West Monroe, La., and will meet in one Saturday semifinal. Charlottesville defeated the No. 16 seed Charlotte Rollin’ Hornets, 56-46, in its first-round game and then knocked off the No. 9-seeded Los Angeles Hotwheels, 50-44, in the quarterfinals. Magee defeated the No. 13-seeded Sacramento Royals, 42-21, in its first-round game and then edged past the No. 12-seeded Rochester Wheels, 42-37, in the quarterfinals.
The two double-digit seeds — the No. 11 seed San Antonio ParaSport Spurs and No. 10 seed Tacoma Titans — will meet in the other semifinal. San Antonio upset the No. 3-seeded Bennett Blazers, 43-30, in the quarterfinals and No. 6-seeded Brooks Ballers, 53-44, in the first round. Meanwhile, Tacoma took care of the No. 2-seeded Austin Rec’ers, 53-43, in the quarterfinals and the No. 7-seeded Lincolnway Special Recreation Center Association Hawks, 61-51, in the first round.
NWBA National Wheelchair Basketball Championships At West Monroe Sports & Events complex – West Monroe, La. – March 27
Adults
Division I
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks 73, No. 9 WWAR Generals 54
No. 4 New York Rollin’ Knicks 46, No. 12 LWSRA Hawks 40
No. 6 WASA Marquette Eagles 66, No. 3 Rancho Halos 53
No. 2 Mary Free Bed Pacers 68, No. 7 Los Angeles Clippers Chairmen 47
Semifinals
No. 1 Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks 64, No. 4 New York Rollin’ Knicks 47
No. 6 WASA Marquette Eagles 77, No. 2 Mary Free Bed Pacers 66
Consolation
No. 5 MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital Punishers 72, No. 13 FEBASIRU Puerto Rico 23
No. 5 MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital Punishers 61, No. 8 Utah Wheelin’ Jazz 57
No 10 Bayou City 69, No. 11 Golden State Road Warriors 62
No. 9 Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch Generals 60, No. 12 Lincolnway Special Recreation Center Association/Synergy Hawks 35
No. 11 Los Angeles Clippers Chairmen 63, No 3 Rancho Halos 50
Division II
First Round
No. 1 Kansas City Kings 49, No. 16 Tampa Bay Strong Dogs 47
No. 8 Lakeshore Storm 67, No. 9 Bridge City Rolling Blazers 55
No. 4 Tucson Lobos 64, No. 13 Detroit Wheelchair Pistons 54 (OT)
No. 5 Memorial Rehabilitation Sharks 57, No. 12 Texas Ball Hogs 34
No. 6 Ability 360 Wheelchair Suns 62, No. 11 ParaSport Spokane 38
No. 3 Seattle Sonics 55, No. 14 CAST Iron Skillets 39
No. 7 NMSCD Wolfpack 52, No. 10 Shepherd Stealers 51
No. 2 Arkansas Rollin’ Razorbacks 70, No. 15 Charlotte Rollin’ Hornets Teal 43
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Kansas City Kings 57, No. 8 Lakeshore Storm 53
No. 5 Memorial Rehabilitation Sharks 66, No. 4 Tucson Lobos 49
No. 6 Ability360 Phoenix Suns 57, No. 3 Seattle Sonics 48
No. 2 Arkansas Rollin’ Razorbacks 62, NMSCD Wolfpack 20
Consolation
No. 9 Bridge City Rolling Blazers 65, No. 16 Tampa Bay Strong Dogs 55
No. 12 Texas Ball Hogs 56, No. 13 Detroit Wheelchair Pistons 40
Division III
First Round
No. 1 Charlottesville Cardinals 56, No. 16 Charlotte Rollin’ Hornets 46
No. 9 Los Angeles Hotwheels 47, No. 8 Cleveland Wheelchair Cavaliers 26
No. 4 Magee Spokesmen Red 42, No. 13 Sacramento Royals 21
No. 12 Rochester Wheels 57, No. 5 Houston Rolling Rockets 45
No. 11 San Antonio ParaSport Spurs 53, No. 6 Brooks Ballers 44
No. 3 Bennett Blazers 44,
No 14 Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association Marquette Golden Eagles 30
No. 10 Tacoma Titans 61,
No. 7 Lincolnway Special Recreation Center Association/Synergy Hawks 51
No. 2 Austin Rec’ers 44 No. 15 San Diego Silverbacks 43
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Charlottesville Cardinals 50, No. 9 Los Angeles Hotwheels 44
No. 4 Magee Spokesmen Red 42, No. 12 Rochester Wheels 37
No. 11 San Antonio ParaSport Spurs 43, No. 3 Bennett Blazers 30
No. 10 Tacoma Titans 53, No. 2 Austin Rec’ers 43
Consolation
No. 8 Cleveland Wheelchair Cavaliers 60, No. 16 Charlotte Rollin’ Hornets 46
No. 5 Houston Rolling Rockets 48, No. 13 Sacramento Royals 38