Playing Paralympic basketball with USA's Utahn in Tokyo

Women's wheelchair basketball in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Photo: Paralympics GB

TOKYO, Japan. — Alejandra Ibanez wears jersey number one for Team USA in women’s wheelchair basketball in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. The 21-year-old was born in Murray, attended Cottonwood High, and currently plays collegiate ball for the University of Illinois. This is her Paralympic debut.

Thus far in the Tokyo Paralympic Tournament Team USA has come up short in their first game against the Netherlands with a final score down ten points at 58 – 68 evening the pool-play out in their second game, the final against Spain was up 68 – 34. China is next up for the Americans in the prelims. There are no spectators.

Ibanez, who goes by Ali’s, impairment details include being born with arthrogryposis, a condition that affects the joints in her lower body which classifies her in international competition in the 2.5 group. There is only one other teammate on the women’s wheelchair basketball Team USA in the same classification.

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In the women’s game, Europe and North America dominate. At Rio 2016, the United States took gold, Germany silver and the Netherlands went away with the bronze. Canada, Australia and the People’s Republic of China will also have ambitions for success in this tournament.

Wheelchair basketball has taken many tactics from basketball and adapted them for the seated game. A basic ploy is to screen and block a defensive opponent to help an ally when shooting. This tactic is very effective in wheelchair basketball due to the wide area needed to change direction in a wheelchair. An example of this in practice is the ‘pick and roll’, a combination play to line up a shot in which a player quickly moves into space (‘roll’) created by screening an opponent (‘pick’).

The ‘back pick’ technique is also often used, where a high-pointer teammate is screened in the backcourt and unable to move, so a defensive player moves in to attack. It is an important play in moving swiftly into attack mode and setting up teammates for shots. A unique strategy in wheelchair basketball is when a low-pointer stops an opposing high-pointer.

Without being able to jump or react with the lower half of the body, every player needs to develop strong shooting skills and arm strength. The ability of some wheelchair basketball players to shoot three-point goals can be the difference between victory and defeat.

The rules of wheelchair basketball are broadly similar to basketball explains the Tokyo Paralympic Committee. The court is the same size, the basket is at the same height and the scoring is identical: two points for a regular shot from open play, one point for each successful free throw, and three points for a shot from distance (6.75m or more from the basket). Players move the ball around the court by passing or dribbling and are required to throw or bounce the ball after every two pushes of the wheels on their chairs to avoid being penalized for travelling.