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
Tag(s): Home