LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
The New York Rollin' Knicks staved off the Charlottesville Cardinals' attempted overtime rally, securing a 68-65 victory in the final game of the Fourth Annual Newport News East Meets West Wheelchair Basketball Tournament Jan. 17.
The Rollin' Knicks, led by Coach Jerry Fleming, went into the contest with a 4-1 tournament record. Their lone loss was to Charlottesville on opening night, and the team was determined to capture a retribution win.
"These guys have a lot of tenacity and a lot of heart," Coach Fleming said of his team. "They're a bunch of characters."
An 88-57 win over the Port City Spokesmen fueled the team going into the final game, which drew a large crowd on the sidelines.
The contest started as a constant exchange of blows with each team answering the other through the first half. Cardinal forwards Brandon Rush and Tom Vandever worked in tandem to keep the Rollin' Knicks out of the lane and helped Charlottesville build a 30-24 lead by halftime.
The Rollin' Knicks team leaders David Snowden and Faizool Ali joined Coach Fleming in a halftime pep talk, which improved second-half rebounding and possession time.
The Cardinals would not go quietly, sinking a crucial two-pointer at the end of regulation to tie the game at 61-61; however, the Knicks remained focused, utilizing the rebound and passing abilities of forward Edwin Lopez, the shooting of forward Kevin Grant, and stout defensive playing to take and defend the lead, winning the game in overtime.
"We played the game one basket at a time," said Coach Fleming. "The Cardinals are in the same league as us, so we knew what to expect and capitalized on it."
Sun Wheelers Sports of Virginia Beach, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of wheelchair athletics, hosted the 25-game tournament.