Arkansas Wins NWBA Adult DII Title, While Tacoma Takes Adult DIII Division
It was a full circle moment for Timothy Eldridge.
After 30-plus years of playing wheelchair basketball, the 52-year-old Oklahoma City, Okla., resident finally earned his first National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) title. And he played a key role in helping the No. 2-seeded Arkansas Rollin’ Razorbacks knock off the No. 5-seeded Memorial Rehabilitation Sharks, 61-51, in the NWBA Adult Division II championship game Sunday afternoon at the West Monroe Sports & Events complex in West Monroe, La.
“It’s been a long time coming. It’s been a culmination. I was paralyzed when I was 14 and was in a really bad place. And wheelchair basketball was what was introduced to me when I was 16. And I’ve been loving the game ever since. And I’ve been chasing this for 30-plus years,” says Eldridge, who was injured in a 1988 motorcycle accident in Vinita, Okla., and sustained a level T12 spinal cord injury. “And so, this is just like full circle coming around for me. I feel like that 16-year-old kid discovering the game for the first time.”
Tournament and Championship Game MVP Jeff Glasbrenner totaled game-highs of 24 points and 17 rebounds, while Jwan Pickens had a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, Michael Thompkins added 12 points and five rebounds and Eldridge had eight points,
including six in the fourth quarter, and six rebounds to lift the Rollin’ Razorbacks.
Leading 56-51 with 1:09 left and needing to thwart the Sharks’ comeback, Eldridge delivered. After catching a pass from Pickens on the inside right side, he was fouled as he made the basket. Eldridge made the ensuing free throw to convert the three-point play, pushing Arkansas’ advantage to eight points to seal the win. It marked the Rollin’ Razorbacks fifth NWBA title and first since 1996, according to the NWBA Tournament media guide.
Ben Reis led Memorial Rehabilitation with team-highs of 16 points and 16 rebounds, while Jeremie Thomas added 12 points and two rebounds, and Dirrick Hughes had 10 points and three rebounds.
Arkansas jumped out on Memorial Rehabilitation early, going up 13-4 with 2:52 to play in the first quarter, but the Sharks answered with a 16-0 run and went up 28-20 after a Hughes basket with 2:50 left in the second period. After Arkansas went on an 8-0 run, Memorial Rehabilitation closed the second quarter with three straight points to take a 31-28 halftime lead. Arkansas swung ahead in the third period, getting baskets from Glasbrenner and Pickens in the final minute and a half to go up 44-38 after three quarters, and the Sharks cut the deficit down to 48-46 after a Reis basket with 4:49 left in the game. But Arkansas answered with a 6-3 run before the added boost from Eldridge.
Anthonee Tate added three points and three rebounds for Arkansas, while Arnold Barnes (five points and two rebounds), Chris Ridenour (four points and one rebound), Troy Beckford (two points and three rebounds) and Wilberto Rodriguez (two points and two rebounds) contributed for Memorial Rehabilitation.
Eldridge just joined Arkansas two years ago after playing in Oklahoma, and he’s enjoyed the ride.
“It’s just now starting to really hit me. Right after the horn went off, the adrenaline was still pumping from the game, from pushing and stuff and playing because we didn’t have any subs. We’re Iron Man. We have a very restricted bench,” Eldridge says. “And so now the emotional point is starting to set in, in my head that, that there’s no one better than us. We are it — the end-all, be-all.”
Tenth-Seeded Titans Take Adult DIII Title
Christopher Soran already had the Tacoma Titans logo tattooed on him.
Now, after 17 years, he’s got something even more special — an NWBA Adult Division III national championship, a championship game MVP gold ball and memories that are going to last a lifetime. And he can’t wait to add one more tattoo to his left arm.
Soran scored a team-high 14 points and pulled down four rebounds, while Nicholas Weiss added 11 points and five rebounds to help lead the No. 10-seeded Tacoma Titans to a 44-34 victory over the No. 4-seeded Magee Spokesmen Red in the NWBA Adult Division III championship Sunday at the West Monroe Sports & Events complex in West Monroe, La.
Soran got the Titans logo tattooed on his upper left arm last season because of how much he loves the team.
“I bleed for this team. This is my only team I’ve ever been on. I believe in the people. I believe in the organization. I believe in my coach — has always, always been there for me, always supported me,” says the 39-year-old Fircrest, Wash., resident.
Leading just 32-30 after three quarters, the Titans moved the ball inside more and outscored the Spokesmen Red 12-5 in the final quarter. They got points in the paint and then closed the game out at the free-throw line, hitting 4-of-6 free-throw attempts in the final 1:16 to seal the win. It wasn’t a pretty shooting performance, as Tacoma made just 19-of-60 shots (31.7%), but the Titans made more of a concerted effort to go inside.
“I’m the big man — like to get down low, get the rebounds, get inside the key, get the shots in,” says Soran, who hit 7-of-13 field-goal attempts. “I’ve been working for so many years to get here. And had a lot of ups and downs, a lot of heartache and highs. And this is just the height of it. It just means everything to be able to earn this, to have fought hard and battle to get it —to earn the title.”
Magee’s downfall came with turnovers, as it had 24 compared to Tacoma’s 17.
Tyheim Bowen (game-highs of 17 points and 15 rebounds) and Cor’Rales Dupree (10 points and 13 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles for the Spokesmen Red.
Tacoma coach Parker Ayers says it’s the team’s first title.
“I think we’ve got such a great mix of of players that come from so many different areas and walks of life and just really have such a good, good family bond, just a good bond with this team,” Ayers says.
NWBA National Wheelchair Basketball Championships At West Monroe Sports & Events Complex West Monroe, La.March 29
Adults
Division II
Consolation
15th-Place Game
No. 15 Charlotte Rollin’ Hornets 65, No. 13 Detroit Wheelchair Pistons 61
13th-Place Game
No 14 CAST Iron Skillets 57, No. 16 Tampa Bay Strong Dogs 39
11th-Place Game
No. 11 ParaSport Spokane 55, No. 12 Texas Ball Hogs 48
Ninth-Place Game
No. 10 Shepherd Stealers 60, No. 9 Bridge City Rolling Blazers 33
Seventh-Place Game
No. 8 Lakeshore Storm 62, No. 3 Seattle Sonics 57 (OT)
Fifth-Place Game
No. 4 Tucson Lobos 53, No. 7 NMSCD Wolfpack 50
Third-Place Game
No. 1 Kansas City Kings 55, No. 6 Ability 360 Phoenix Wheelchair Suns 44
Championship
No. 2 Arkansas Rollin’ Razorbacks 61, No. 5 Memorial Rehabilitation Sharks 51
Division III
Consolation
15th-Place Game
No. 13 Sacramento Royals 30,
No. 14 Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association Marquette Eagles 26
13th-Place Game
No. 16 Charlotte Rollin’ Hornets 55,
No. 7 Lincolnway Special Education Recreation Association Hawks 46
11th-Place Game
No. 15 San Diego Silverbacks 57, No. 8 Cleveland Wheelchair Cavaliers 40
Ninth-Place Game
No. 6 Brooks Ballers 67, No. 5 Houston Rolling Rockets 51
Seventh-Place Game
No. 12 Rochester Wheels 39, No. 3 Bennett Blazers 31
Fifth-Place Game
No. 2 Austin Rec’ers 61, No. 9 Los Angeles Hotwheels 58
Third-Place Game
No. 1 Charlottesville Cardinals 52, No. 11 San Antonio ParaSport Spurs 34
Championship
No. 4 Magee Spokesmen Red 44, No. 10 Tacoma Titans 34