LOUISVILLE–The 12th-ranked Charlottesville Cardinals wheelchair basketball team had brief visions of wearing Cinderella’s glass slippers after playing the 5th-ranked Arizona Wildcats in the first round of the NWBA national championship tournament today but instead ended up with shattered hopes as the Wildcats posted a solid 56-37 win over the Charlottesville squad.
The defeat placed the Cardinals in a second game of the day against the Albuquerque Kings but again the Cardinals fell short as the New Mexico boys scored a tough 62-53 victory.
The two losses leave Charlottesville facing a 1:30 p.m. game on Friday (4/19). The Cardinals need two more victories to scrape out a 13th place finish in the year-end national rankings.
In the morning game, Arizona jumped out quickly and claimed a 20-4 advantage before the Cardinals’ shooters began to find the range. Charlottesville closed the margin to nine points midway through the second half but could never get closer. Tom Vandever led Cardinals’ scorers with 14 points. Arizona’s Tyrone Griner led all scorers with 19 points.
Against Albuquerque the Cardinals again fell behind early, trailing the Kings by 14 points early in the game before closing to a 30-27 halftime deficit. In the second half the Cardinals trailed by only one-point repeatedly but could never seize the lead. Arizona took a five-point advantage with three minutes to play and made their free throws in the final minutes to claim the victory. The Cardinal’s Mike Looney led all scorers with 19 points, followed by Eddie Wimbish with 12 and Gino Wilson with 10. Albuquerque’s Jake Schmalzriedt led King scorers with 16.