The TIRR Hotwheels race to its first Division III National Championship at the 68th National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament presented by ABC Medical at the Kentucky Exposition Center on Sunday, brining close to the largest NWBT. Hassan Elkadi pushed the pace for the Hotwheels, scoring 22 points for their win over the Fort Lauderdale Sharks, 60-35. 

Elkadi came out firing in the first half, picking up 17 points and 12 of those in the first seven minutes of the game, and the Hotwheels never looked back. The second half saw the Sharks pressure and trap Elkadi, and it was too late to mount a comeback. 

James Gonzalez and Hector Lopez were able to contribute six points a piece in the second half, and Abraham Hausman-Weiss contributed five points. The Hotwheels defense was solid in shutting down a surging Fort Lauderdale Sharks team that battled through a tough consolation bracket in the 24-team tournament. 

Carlos Pijuan scored 12 points for the Sharks, with Arnold Barnes being contained with eight points. 

The 2016 NWBT was the largest with 88 teams and 976 athletes that featured a total of 176 games on 12 courts. The NWBT is a five-division event spanning three age groups – Junior Prep, Junior NIT, Junior Varsity, Division III and Championship. 

2016 National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament presented by ABC Medical 
At Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky., April 7-10

Division III – Final Rankings

1. TIRR Hotwheels

2. Ft Lauderdale Sharks

3. Memphis Rollin' Grizzlies

4. LA Hotwheels

5. Charlotte Rollin' Hornets

6. MedStar NRH Punishers

7. Nassau Kings

8. Carolina Tarwheels

9. Delaware Destroyers

10. Turnstone Bandits

11. Cleveland Wheelchair Cavaliers

12. Detroit Diehards

13. DFW Freewheelers

14. MAPVA Richmond Rimriders

15. Cincinnati Royals

16. Fayetteville Flyers

17. Miami Valley Minutemen

18. Tampa Bay Strong Dogs

19. Shepherd Stealers

20. Columbus Wheelchair Basketball Club 

21. Magee Spokesman

22. CT Spokebenders

23. Music City Lightning

24. Lafayette Spinners