Wheelchair basketball tournament coming to Palmerston North
Some of the country’s top wheelchair basketball players are coming to Palmerston North this weekend for a major tournament.
The Kotahitanga Collective tournament is being held at the Arena tomorrow and Sunday.
Parafed Manawatū sport development advisor Dylan Hill said there would be five teams in division two and three or four teams in division one, the latter featuring players from the national league competition.
During the season there are about six big tournaments a year, including three rounds of the national league.
About 50 players will take part this weekend, including 10 from Manawatū. Players sign up and are put into a team.
Manawatū’s Luke McDowall is in the New Zealand wheelchair basketball squad and will be in action this weekend.
He said these tournaments were important because they showcased the sport and helped increase player numbers.
At the start of the year he returned home after three and a half years at the University of Alabama in the United States.
He went on a scholarship, worked at the university and finished with a masters in social work.
He said he enjoyed being able to play in tournaments and being able to teach people who were new to the sport.
Games are tomorrow and Sunday, with finals on Sunday, as well as three-on-three games.
Wheelchair basketball is played on a standard basketball court with a standard-height goal and most of the rules are the same as able-bodied basketball.
Any player who wasn’t able to play basketball standing up due to a physical disability was eligible to play wheelchair basketball. Able-bodied people were also able to play at this level.