CHARLOTTESVILLE–The Charlottesville Cardinals wheelchair basketball team is rapidly preparing for the start of its 34th season this fall.
The Cardinals, currently ranked 15th nationally, are hoping to improve their standing this year with the return of long term stalwart Arthur Tracy and with the expected addition of veteran players Jeremy Smith and Andrea Woodson-Smith, who previously played for the Charlotte Rollin’ Bobcats.
The team is also buoyed by second-year player James Cook and veteran player Gino Wilson who will bolster a line-up that will again include veteran starters Brandon Rush, Chris Robinson, Eddie Wimbish, Mike Looney, and Tom Vandever. The team is also anticipating that veterans Ron Casey and James Craig will be active this year as well.
Rush, Robinson, and Vandever will travel to Houston this weekend for the annual Pasadena Shootout pre-season tournament. The players will team with “guest” Cardinals Dan Altan (San Diego), Joey Johnson (Winnipeg), Chris Kile (PA), and Ike Cook (Richmond) to compete for the tournament crown. Both Altan and Cook have played with the Cardinals previously. The tournament allows “able-bodied” players to participate and is always very festive and competitive. The “Cardinals” finished 3rd in last year’s event.
The team will resume its weekly practice sessions on September 8th at Carver Recreation Center from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The Cardinals will begin regular season play on November 1st when they travel to Atlanta for the Shepherd Shootout tournament.