Alabama Wheelchair Basketball teams sweep national championships

If you were in need of quality Gumping on the hardwood, then today was definitely your day.

Today on the campus of the University of Illinois, Alabama Adapted Athletics swept the podium — claiming both men’s and women’s national championships in Wheelchair Basketball.

The 2-seed Alabama women were in a rematch with last year’s winner, 1-seed UT-Arlington. After a nip-and-tuck regulation that ended in overtime, the Tide pulled away in the extra frame, winning 82-76. For the women, it was their third national title in four years — the only blemish being last year’s loss to this same UT-Arlington squad. It was the Women’s sixth title (and handed UTA only its second loss on the year).

To advance to the Finals, the Women dispatched the 3-seed host Illini.

On the Men’s side of the bracket, Alabama was also a 2-seed, and faced fellow NWBA powerhouse and No. 1-seed Wisconsin-Whitewater for the crown. At stake for ‘Bama was the opportunity to claim back-to-back titles. This game was very competitive too, and featured some outstanding free-throw shooting (...I’m not naming any names here, but it rhymes with Schmavery Hohnson). The Men were able to put it away late, 79-73, and in doing so claimed their second in a row and third championship overall — and handed UWW just its second loss of the year too.

The Men advanced by defeating 7-seed Southwest Minnesota State and 3-seed UT-Arlington. Bonus schadenfreude? 8-seed Auburn lost their play-in game. Hehehehe

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If you want to learn more about Alabama’s Adapted Athletics, you can visit them on the web at alabamaadapted.com and make sure to drop by their Twitter page to check out some awesome championship pics (@AlabamaAdapted.)

Congratulations to both squads and #KeepItRollin

Roll Tide