Arizona hoop stars pull up a chair for exhibition game

By Scott Bricker
Arizona Daily Wildcat
April 9, 1997

Arizona hoop stars pull up a chair for exhibition game

Nikolas Valentine
Arizona Daily Wildcat
UA freshman guard Felicity Willis passes the ball during Monday's practice in preparation for tonight's Lame For A Game competition that starts at 7 p.m. in McKale Center. The Wildchairs have won the last three matchups against the Wildcats.

The men's basketball team may have whipped the likes of Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky. The women's b-ball team may have outdone national powers Western Kentucky, San Francisco and Southern Cal, but neither team has faced a team this season that's be tter at its sport than its next opponent.

Fresh off their most successful seasons in school history, the basketball teams will combine tonight 7:07 at McKale Center to take on the Arizona Wildchairs in the 14th annual Lame For A Game.

The contest will showcase an exciting and quite possibly crazy brand of basketball, as both of the Wildcat squads have only had two days of practice in wheel chairs to prepare.

Miles Simon's jump shot and Aida Barnes post moves can be thrown out window.

Arizona women's head coach Joan Bonvicini, who is co-head coach of the Wildcats, said that with the team's lack of time spent shooting from its seat, the game should create a lot of laughs.

"I am really excited to be coaching in this game," she said. "Our players are not very adept at shooting while sitting down or at moving around in the chair, but the game will be a great deal of fun for everyone involved."

The Wildchairs have won the last three games, including last year's 65-62 victory. Overall, the Wildchairs lead the series 8-5.

"We definitely have the advantage," said a confident Carrie Baber, a member of the Wildchair team. "They're not used to moving in their chairs so we will try to go easy on them."

Alan Strauss, a Wildchair representative, said he hopes that the game will help his team to accomplish two very important goals.

"First and foremost, we want this game to open people's eyes to the athletic ability of our team," Strauss said. "The opportunity to play against two tournament teams is an added bonus along with the men's championship. This is also our biggest fundraiser of the year."

The rules have been modified to help the Wildcats.

As a team, they are alloted 20 free-break opportunities, which allows them to get out of the chairs to show off their stuff.

Tickets for the Lame For A Game have sold out.