No. 2 Arizona knocks off No. 3 WASA and will meet No. 1 seed Charlotte
After falling in last year’s National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) Women’s Division wheelchair basketball semifinals, the Arizona Storm found what they needed to get them to the championship — some more height.
No. 2 seed Arizona rode some good shooting, teamwork and defensive disruptions with their added height, as the Storm took down the No. 3-seeded WASA Marquette Eagles, 56-43, in Saturday’s Women’s Division semifinals at Plassman Athletic Center at Turnstone in Fort Wayne, Ind. The Storm advanced to Sunday’s noon final, where they’ll meet the top-seeded Charlotte Rollin’ Hornets, who rolled to a 67-28 victory over the No. 5-seeded Lakeshore Lightning in Saturday’s other semifinal.
Arizona avenged a semifinal loss to WASA last year, one which U.S. Paralympian Courtney Ryan took hard last year.
“It’s a great team win, great bounce-back from last season. We’ve added some new players to our squad. So, it’s given us some height. It’s what we were missing last year,” says Ryan, who is also joined by U.S. Paralympian Josie Aslakson on the Storm. “So, you know the newcomers are coming in and balling out for us, as well. So, it’s a great collective team win.”
The Storm jumped out to an early 10-2 first-quarter lead, before WASA rallied to tie the game at 16 with 6 minutes and 37 seconds left in the second quarter. The Eagles didn’t get that close again.
With taller defenders in Jah’kyra Daniels and Emilee Gustafson, the Storm kept WASA’s U.S. Paralympian trio of Natalie Schneider, Becca Murray and Christina Schwab in check and forced the tall Schneider to have to pass out or into missed shots.
Arizona built its lead to 31-25 at halftime, then jumped out early in the third quarter to push its advantage to 41-30 with 4 minutes left in the period. WASA cut the deficit to eight in the fourth, but Arizona’s Adrina Castro helped quickly pushed the lead back up to 16 points with 5 minutes left in the game.
Ryan thought that height was key.
“To deny the power side from them, especially not getting in the key, looking for those post-ups. We were able to deny that on the defensive end,” Ryan says. “On the offensive end, fortunately we were all shooting really well on the outside, which opened things up for our pick players, our bigger players. So, that height getting inside the key was huge for us today, as well.”
Charlotte had little trouble with Lakeshore, jumping out to an 8-2 lead early in the first quarter and expanding it to 26-5 after the end of the period. They ballooned it out more after that.
Charlotte hasn’t had too much of a challenge so far, winning all of its games by at least 27 points.
Charlotte coach Dave Kiley says the two title-game teams met earlier in December of last year and the Rollin’ Hornets, who have three Paralympians of their own in Gail Gaeng Kalisz, Lindsey Zurbrugg and Brittany Gustafson, pulled out a close game at the end.
Kiley says they’ll have to handle the Storm’s press well to win.
“You know, their strength, I think, was their press. So, our press break, being able to handle their pressure, we have size, but we have to be able to get the size down the court,” he says.
Charlotte has been tested before, so Kiley thinks the Rollin’ Hornets are ready.
“They don’t have anybody to reach with Candice [Law]. So yeah, it’s going to be a really good one. We have the experience of both Gail and Zurbs, who have Paralympic experience. And, of course, they have Courtney and Josie in the same regard. They’ve got the rising star in Adrina. But we’re tough. We’re tough. We didn’t get the one seed for nothing.”
Arizona defeated the Memorial Rehab Lady Sharks (78-16), Virginia Vortex (65-20) and Cincinnati Dragons (61-26) in pool play before rolling past the BORP Bay Meteorites, 63-10, in Saturday’s quarterfinals and taking down the Women’s Division defending champ.
Ryan says the team needs to stick to the same game plan.
“Play fundamental basketball, have fun and just rely on each other in those moments where we’re starting to feel a little down,” she says.
For more Saturday photos, visit adobe.ly/4jwaTX1.
National Wheelchair Basketball Association Women’s Division Tournament Day 2
Pool Play
LWSRA Hawks 41, PNW Reign 20
Lakeshore Lightning 44, BlazeSports Lady Ballers 15
Charlotte Rollin’ Hornets 45, ParaSport Spokane 18
Virginia Vortex 37, Memorial Rehab Lady Sharks 21
Arizona Storm 61, Cincinnati Dragons 26
WASA Marquette Eagles 69, Angel City Sports 19
Mary Free Bed 22, BORP Bay Meteorites 14
PNW Reign 39, Phoenix Mercury 25
LWSRA Hawks 43, Adaptive Sports Ohio Cavaliers 18
Friendly Games
Cincinnati Dragons 29, BlazeSports Lady Ballers 14
Angel City Sports 45, Adaptive Sports Ohio Cavaliers 38
Mary Free Bed 41, PNW Reign 33
Memorial Rehab Lady Sharks 44, ParaSport Spokane 21
Playoffs
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Charlotte Rollin’ Hornets 52, No. 8 Phoenix Mercury 25
No. 5 Lakeshore Lightning 46, No. 4 LWSRA Hawks 31
No. 3 WASA Marquette Eagles 56, No. 6 Virginia Vortex 20
No. 2 Arizona Storm 63, No. 7 BORP Bay Meteorites 10
Semifinals
No. 1 Charlotte Rollin’ Hornets 67, No. 5 Lakeshore Lightning 28
No. 2 Arizona Storm 56, No. 3 WASA Marquette Eagles 43