Georgia Public Broadcasting presents the American Association of Adaptive Sports Programs 2000 for Georgia Wheelchair Basketball Championship.

Funding for this broadcast is made possible by sloppy and sad attorneys at law.

U.S. Medical supply, the Atlanta Hawks and by IBEW Local Number 613.

Horses live from the arena at Gwinnett Civic Center.

It's the 24 hour American Association of Adaptive Sports Programs wheelchair Championships.

Hello, everybody, and welcome.

I'm Jim Tanaka.

A big game coming up today between the number one seed making bears and the Clayton Eagles.

The Georgia High School Association and the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs have joined forces to bring this historic broadcast here to Georgia Public Broadcasting.

We'll have it for you today.

So hope you enjoy the game.

The number one seed making bears against the Clayton Eagles.

We'll go to Dave Gardner and Herb White's courtside guest.

All right.

Thanks, Jim.

Again, history being made here today.

Dave Gardner along with the elevator from Decatur, Herb White, the man himself here.

And I'll tell you what a history being made and I'm just happy to be part of it.

Well, it's certainly Dave.

And on behalf of everybody at Georgia Public Broadcasting, we very proud to be associated with this historic event.

We know it's the first time this has ever been done in Georgia.

We think it's the first time it's ever been done on a national basis.

And hopefully it's going to inspire a lot of folks to get on board with this type of an event.

There you go.

Now, in addition to just bringing you the action today, we hope to educate you a little bit about wheelchair basketball.

And here to help us do that is Leslie Swetnam from the Adaptive Sports Program.

Leslie, honored to be working with you here today and hopefully you're going to be able to explain the game a little bit to us.

And I'm looking forward to learning something as well.

Well, thank you, guys.

I'm really pleased to be here and I think we're going to have a great game on tap and I hope to be able to explain some things as we go along.

All right, Sounds good.

Taking a look at the matchup again, the Clayton Eagles come in here defending champs as far as the league is concerned, and they're led by some big time players.

They've got one guy in a Ryan Parillo.

He is something else.

This guy's really, really tearing it up.

Now, Ryan Perriello is approaching 30 points, a game scoring average for the Clayton Eagles.

He's unlike most of our athletes out here today.

He plays a lot of different sports.

He was MVP in the Net Junior National Soccer, and he's also played on three state championships in basketball.

So Ryan's a senior and he's an experienced player.

And of course, you know, taking a look at the lineup, Jackson, Groff, Maddox, Carillo and Williams and of course, Patricia Hall and her night season with the with the AA ESP basketball.

Yeah.

Pat's a veteran coach.

He's been with us quite a while and has a real good little team this year.

Tommy Gray, another dominating player.

He's going to be the big guy for the Macon Bears.

He's another guy that's a great athlete.

He won third place in the region, wrestling in the Georgia High School Association.

He was out of Northside High in Warner Robins, and he's being recruited as a junior right now to attend Whitewater College in Wisconsin for wheelchair basketball.

North Side, Warner Robins right there in the house.

And of course, the American Bears, they're going to look at their lineup, right.

Meredith Hill, Gray and Duncan, the Bears starters again, making comes in here again as the number one seed coming in to the championship.

Glen Watkins, the head coach for the Macon Bears, entering his eighth season.

Glen again has been with us since the team was formed in the Macon area.

He's also an exceptional coach and and as always, he has a great little team.

This year should be fun again the Georgia Wheelchair Basketball Championships right here on GPB and we are certainly excited about it.

As Jim said, up top again, history making this weekend at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.

Again, excited about it, Dave Gardner, Herb White and Leslie Sweatband.

And we are ready to rock and roll here again, starting lineups and tipoff coming up for you right here as we return.

Again, Georgia wheelchair basketball.

Coming up, let's introduce our teams, beginning with a visiting team, the Clayton Eagles, Danny Maddox, Mark Brophy, Lauren Jackson, Clay Green, Brandon Williams and Ryan Perillo, the coaches Pat Hill and Morris Foster.

And now the home team.

Macon Bears, Danielle Duncan, Ebony, Meredith, Jennifer Kinnard, Edward Hill.

Matthew Wynn.

Go Joshua Wright and Tommy Gray.

The coaches for the Macon Bears are Glynn Watkins and Jarvis Emery.

Our officials today will be Ken Gordon, Kelly Omari and Anthony White.

In today's starting lineups, the Clayton Eagles and the Macon Bears.

Coming up next from the arena at Gwinnett Center.

We'll be right back.

Back here at the Arena Gwinnett Center, the Clayton Eagles taking on the Macon Bears.

They've got Herb Whyte, Leslie Sweat and with yeah, we are underway again the Georgia wheelchair basketball championship on GPB and it's the Macon Bears with the opening possession Yeah Tommy Gray the big man underneath a rugged pass and Daniel Duncan right off the bat puts the bears on the board.

Yeah.

Dave, I think you're going to see a lot of dominating play from Tommy Gray and Ryan Perriello today to start their team, do most of the scoring to a lot of the ball handling.

And the other guys are going to be looking to get open and look for passes from those guys.

Ryan Perillo on the other end with the dribble up top he is the big scorer for this Clayton Eagle team and as we go along here a big shot from outside in here it is a three point shot for Ryan Philo and Leslie.

You may want to explain exactly where you have to be.

It look like he might have been on that line there.

But explain why it was a three.

Yeah, the rules read that the front casters, which are the small wheels and the front end of the chair, can actually cross the line.

What the refs are looking for is where the rear wheel touches the playing surface.

Tommy Gray, again, with the dribble there, too strong off the board and the rebound going back the other way again, no shot blocked it.

Wheelchair basketball for second lane violation.

No zone defense, just some minor adjustments to the game.

10 seconds to get the ball across half court justice and in high school regulation play right with the pass inside to Duncan Duncan a little too strong right there brought down by four yellow then Ron Friel averaging over 30 points a game.

This is remarkable when you see why he a great ball handler and he threw up that three a moment ago and hit his first three of the game the ball at midcourt right there make it bears on the possession and that is Joshua right open inside there but couldn't get the lay back We've seen games climb into the forties and fifties as far as point totals this year it's been a very competitive season.

Leslie how much is conditioning going to play as a factor today?

There's not a lot of substitutes over there on the bench, so these kids are going to be playing a lot of minutes.

They sure will.

And that requires such a great amount of upper body strength, because not only are they using their arms to shoot on a ten foot hit from a seated position, but of course, to maneuver their chairs as well.

Turnover right there could handle that pass and we could get in a close up look at Tommy and you can see why he was a wrestler.

Upper body strength he's got.

You could just imagine and not being able to substitute to as you said, I mean, that's it's going to be quite a day, you know, for these guys, especially with the upper body.

And also I say guys, but really, I mean guys and girls, it's coed and that's another aspect of the game that's different.

And that's correct.

The the team makeup has to be that way in order to feel the full team, because they're just not that many student athletes out there who are eligible to participate freely off and running Gray back down on defense.

And basically it's a little one on one game right here.

Shot wouldn't quite go ball loose and the possession try to save that ball in there nearly did down the corner Nice job That's Lee as you saw Ryan taking the ball down the court Then you might get the folks out there watching a little bit of something to watch for is how they can handle the ball and what's a traveling violation and what is a wheelchair basketball, right in wheelchair ball.

A traveling violation is if you push your chair more than twice without dribbling, passing or shooting the ball.

And also pivots are considered pushes.

So even though they might be not going forward as a result of a push, if they use their hands to turn the chair, that too is considered a push.

Tommy Gray, with that last bucket 4 to 3, the lead Macon leading over Clayton again out of the Clayton County school system.

They're of course these two teams actually met earlier in the season.

You look at coach Glynn Watkins over on the bench trying to get that ball in there.

Couldn't quite get it to go Mark GROSS out there hustlin when these two teams met the first go round.

Macon actually overcame a 16 point halftime deficit to defeat Clayton, who of course is the defending champ.

And that was a great comeback.

They were real proud of that as well as they should have been with the foul call.

We also have two different types of fouls in wheelchair basketball.

Leslie, if you want to give the folks a little bit of a education on what kind of fouls and can incur as a player, Sure.

The the one foul that's the most unusual and different from able bodied ball is what we call a physical advantage foul.

And that's where an athlete is using their legs in some way do the raise themselves out of their seat or gain some sort of unfair advantage.

You have to remember this sport was originated from veterans coming back from the war.

Many of whom are amputees, and they didn't want anybody with legs to be able to use that to an advantage.

Brandon Williams with the bucket right there, again, the junior from Mount Zion High School and it's five four.

Clayton back with the leader.

We're exchanging hands in this first period again six eight minute periods basically in the ballgame, but the clock moves pretty continuous.

So that was pretty quick.

That's a running clock and it still adds up to an awful lot of playing time.

A nice look from Tommy Gray into the lane there.

Danielle Duncan knocking down another bucket.

That's her second and it's back to a macon barely at 651. advantage here first quarter action 228 to go for yellow back on the other end he is up and down that floor he could get up and down there.

Well a great shot on the move by Ryan Perriello.

Five points for him in this first quarter.

Another mountain high school product to show that look, an insider got the position shot wouldn't quite go though both teams have really got him down to four good last week.

And of course in the semifinals both teams a little bit nervous.

We thought they might even be more nervous in this big arena here.

And of course, with the TV cameras on them, but they seem to have stepped up here.

Yeah, we were a little concerned about nerves.

This is a big setting for these guys.

They seem to be doing all right, though.

They're generally ones that whistle blows on the ball, goes up in the air.

Like all athletes, they forget about who's watching or what's going on outside the court.

There you go.

There you go.

And we've got a whistle, right?

You have to remember that the wheelchair is considered part of the athlete's body.

So sometimes the fouls are actually cheer fouls.

Well, they have to let a lot more contact go as far as wheelchair contact would normally between bodies in the NBA and regulation basketball.

But these so it's a it's a tough call for the officials.

It is a tough call.

What they're looking to see is did somebody get an unfair advantage from that from that contact Tommy Gray back on the other end with the lay in right there.

Gray actually called for that last file down on the other end before there.

But Gray with four points here averaging over 18 and a half.

This season.

And it's kind of a short season, too.

You really got to make them happen.

As we said, the Bears in here at four and one, Clayton Eagles at three and two.

So you've got to make the best of it, especially come tournament time here.

But Tommy Gray out there trying to put pressure on Ryan Perriello, which is not an easy thing to do.

Ryan is a great ball handler and he can really maneuver up and down that court and through the long pass there, that is the you see an athlete on the floor here.

The rules regarding that are sometimes a little confusing for those who have not been around the sport.

We do not stop play because an athlete is falling out of a chair necessarily unless they're in danger of the actions coming towards them.

We'll stop play for their safety.

A lot of these athletes can a lot of these athletes can get up on their own.

Those that can't.

We'll call the coach out at the next stoppage and play to assist them back into the chairs.

And there you see the great press line, pretty low right there for the layup.

Daniel Duncan was the player that took the tumble there.

But again, the toughness of the sport and really all the sports and that's something we'll we'll get into today, too, as you guys not only have the the basketball as well, you get to look at Daniel Duncan, the junior from west side of high school there, but it's soccer's track heat, baseball, a lot of other programs as well.

That's true.

We keep these these guys active just like they're able bodied teams are all school year long.

EBONY Meredith with the basketball throws it the head to a wide open Tommy Gray in the lane puts up the shot and rattles it in there.

Six points for Tommy.

Great.

He's not going to miss many of those.

That's eight points, actually, for Gray, who is averaging about 18 out there.

Yeah.

Making up his final seconds, ticking off the clock, his shot at the buzzer.

Couldn't quite get it over there.

And that is it for quarter number one.

Macon Bears and Clayton Eagles going at it ten, seven, eight, seven after one.

We'll take a time out and be right back with quarter number two.

You're watching Georgia wheelchair basketball championships on GPB.

They've got our Herb White.

Leslie swimming back with you make it bears up ten seven over the Clayton Eagles as we go to the start of the second period here the arena Aquatic Center right off the inbound.

They're free to go with another bucket.

These turn it up as expected, I guess.

Yeah he saw the open and everybody out at half court and kind of a not Ryan broke out of the pack and took it in for the layup and those cheers take up a lot of room on the floor and sometimes you get a traffic jam and then another look at it right there, the easy lay.

And inside they're in good position.

So Macon countering on the other end with an inside look and they get a bucket.

Nice job right there.

By number 16, Joshua Wright, the sophomore Haven't seen the shooting percentages yet day but I can tell you both these teams shooting probably pretty close to 50% right now.

Another look at that one right there too, right in the scorebook here.

But quickly back on the other end.

Reload, dribbling kill got percentage four of eight, six of ten.

And that's going to change right there, though.

Free Lou, up and down.

Before we hadn't even had a chance to catch our breath here.

Much great shooting from both teams so far.

Nine points for Brian Perillo here and again whistle that a charge or a block.

You were talking Leslie, about some of the the physical advantage fouls and of course one thing that would constitute that would actually be to lift up out of the chair to get more height trying to block a shot.

Yeah, that's right.

Kicking out using your legs for as a lever to be able to throw a longer pass.

Anything along those lines would be considered a payoff like able bodied ball the the charging versus blocking you're looking for the the offensive player to have enough time to react to the defensive player's position.

So if they don't have time to get their hands down to the wheels, then you're going to get a charge or illegal block I mean, right when I called it, I think it's they call Tommy for the offensive foul on that play turn the ball over.

Nothing wrong with that blocking from gray there a while ago.

Leslie, you might also want to address the differences and sizes of the chairs some people may feel is an advantage.

Is it what the athlete is comfortable with?

It is.

It's also some of these athletes are playing in their everyday chairs, which are going to be set up very differently from a sports chair.

The sports chairs are great, but they're also incredibly expensive.

And it's not a not every athlete who can afford an everyday chair and a sports chair.

You saw that block while ago from Tommy Gray Wingspans part of it, that's for sure.

And he got that hand right in the face.

Two of Brian Perillo I don't want to single those guys out because everybody out there doing a great job, really hustling.

But it's been fun to watch those two go one on one here a couple of times today.

Pretty low.

Back on the other end in traffic, puts out a shot, rips the net.

wow.

Double figures for Ryan for yellow.

You know, growing up as a as a basketball player all my life, Leslie, all I heard was get your feet under you.

When you get to shoot, make sure you go up straight.

Make sure you're under control.

And you just saw Ryan Triolo right there, Charlie moving about four or five miles an hour across the lane in his wheelchair and firing up.

So that's got to make shooting the basketball even more difficult because you're moving almost all the time in your chair when you're taking a shot.

Yeah, it really does.

It's it's a double edged sword.

You get so much momentum when you're moving that it's almost too much.

Sometimes you have to learn to temper your shot versus sitting perfectly still and taking a shot, which takes more than normal because you don't have the jump of the legs making bears inbound the ball underneath their own basket.

Gray passes out, get it right with the basketball, looking to give it back inside.

It was a great dribble back response like we'll talk about later on in the contest Who is a personal advantage fouls really it's any combination of five fouls in order to foul out but if you get three you basically out of the game it's like in a technical almost exactly you're out on two kicks three perhaps, or any combination of fouls.

It adds up to five in the regular personal fouls, you expect to see an able bodied ball.

You're going to look at Coach Patricia Hill and coach Glen Watkins of the Macon Bears, Chris Watkins, in his eighth season.

Hill in her ninth season as a coach, has a couple of colorful personalities on those benches over there with those coaches, and hopefully we're going to get a camera in there in the huddle.

They're both intense competitors, as you can see.

During the timeout.

And that's something else, too, is they've got to be certified too.

That's true.

They go through the national asset, which is the American Sport Education Program certification, which most a lot of able bodied coaches also have to have.

That's part of our requirement that they receive their ACE up certification as well as sports specific certification, which we give them from the league, but really dribbling on the other in their go and back the other way goes.

Tommy Gregg and a whistle are going to be called here in the backcourt.

It looks like one foul is going to be it looks like on pretty low right here.

You'll notice on this free throw shot that I'm sorry we're not shooting on that one.

But when you see that those front casters again can be over while the rear wheels cannot.

Leslie, I know one of the reasons that you guys are so happy with this game being televised is to expose this not only to the general public, but to more athletes out there who might want to participate in in the wheelchair athletics across the state of Georgia.

And what would what would a parent do to contact somebody with adaptive sports to involve their child in this program?

That's a great question.

I appreciate that.

You'll see across the screen now is our Ask website.

I brought a sport from there you can access the numbers where you could call if you're local or through the website.

And and going through your school system is another avenue.

Certainly a lot of parents out there may have some trepidation with their child participating in this.

And you've been in this involved in a long time.

And I'm sure you can give some folks some positive feedback about what it means to these kids to be able to participate.

Yeah, there's there's a lot of barriers to participation, and some of them are just mindsets of parents who aren't sure that their kids would be safe playing a sport or have sort of given up on the hope of that.

There are there are also barriers regarding transportation.

Some of the kids with the wheelchairs in need or have some transportation needs that aren't easily met.

Well, a classic two on one break there.

How freely off the back of the iron got a shot back?

Well, you know, one thing I've been impressed with to hear in the early going is the sportsmanship.

While ago, whenever I believe it was Daniel Duncan who took that that spill down there, both teams applauding, both teams really in there to a supporter, the way these teams see each other all year long.

And it's great to see that sportsmanship out here, too.

They do.

And that's a big part of our training with our coaches and our coaches reinforce it to our athletes.

Sportsmanship is very important.

There's a lot to be learned from sports.

And it's it's not just out there on the court.

You got to learn teamwork.

You got to learn how to act, how to take instruction.

And you've got to learn how to how to be a decent person to your to your neighbor.

You're passed right there by Gray inside to Duncan.

Couldn't get the shot to go.

Now, Perillo battling again one on one there, the two stars, Tommy Gray, Ryan Perillo, you three lower down the lane.

A moment ago with a floater.

The last possession couldn't get that one to go rebound three that time off and running a little bit of traffic good defense right there by Danny Maddox Calvin back ball looks like right there turnover again 1514 Clayton Eagles on top of the Macon Bears as time continues to roll off here in the second quarter.

Again six eight minute periods make up the Georgia wheelchair basketball championship today.

Glad you could join us right here on GPB.

nice look by Ryan there couldn't be controlled the past.

Let's play this about what you expected from these two teams.

A close, hard fought battle.

Absolutely.

These guys really go at it.

They know each other well.

They know their strengths and their weaknesses, and they're not afraid to exploit them, not make it, of course, beating Atlanta City in the semifinals, advancing on into the championship game.

And of course, the semis last weekend, as we mentioned it, Cross Creek High School in Augusta, they knew high school girls, you know, in the officials that you're seeing out there today, too, is a great goes to the line.

These are officials that also call some Georgia high school basketball, too, throughout the season.

So they've got to make the adjustment to and and keep kind of the rules fresh in their head as well.

Yeah, that's absolutely true.

There are some real differences there and it can be easy to get them confused.

Eight points for Gray today with a rebound there misses on the first you have to and again the same thing goes with the free throw line those front casters can be over the line as long as the bottom of the of the back wheels are up or off that line.

Yeah, that's correct.

Ray, with the free throw first free throw attempts we've seen here today.

Ray one of two and it's all tied up 15 off of final shot and that is it from way out there though.

And we've got ourselves a ball game, end of quarter number 215.

All making bears and Clayton Eagles going at it like a timeout and be right back Georgia wheelchair championship is on GPB they've got a herb white Leslie Sweat and with you Lisa Willis also with us today.

Lisa what's going on?

All right, thanks guys.

Mentioned how competitive the coaches are.

And Patricia Hill has done a great job turning the Eagles Clayton soccer team and basketball team into a dynasty.

The basketball team is a three time defending state champions and the soccer team has won four state titles, a junior national title in this year.

They finished second.

Coach Glen Watkins in Macon wants to beat this team and they know they have a tough road ahead of them.

But you know what he told me?

They're up for the challenge and they're ready to finally beat the Clayton Eagles.

That sounds good, right?

We got a heck of a ballgame right here.

15 All the Macon Bears and Clayton Eagles going at it and shot right there off the market in Clayton.

The defending champs coming in here trying to make it happen.

They're also looking for a little revenge to today because the Macon Bears actually beat them during the regular season.

Dave, I know our producers don't like us to suggest things to our camera people.

If we get a chance to get a shot of Coach Watkins shoes over there time, I think the folks might appreciate that your team spirit is out there.

You look at Patricia Hall, she's just she's got the she's got the right colors on back on the other end of shot right there is good nice job And that's Joshua Wright number 16 with his second field goal of the day.

You're there you look at Perillo being guard in the backcourt and you know, the strategy is going to change throughout the day.

But obviously it's to try to clamp down on Mr. Carrillo there.

But he's off and running again in the open.

Didn't quite get the lane to go right there.

Anthony Gray back on the other end, I mean, Gray with a great effort, was way behind.

Ryan caught up to him.

But just enough pressure on the caused to miss that layup Ebony Meredith with the ball had it knocked away there momentarily pretty low back up with it there back on the other end.

nice give and go there This shot from way outside of their two point shot just inside the arc.

But man, man, that's a great shot.

Moving to his right and firing back to the left and a watch Ryan do it because when he's on his own and it looks like today he's on he's on a baker's dozen for fellow here in the first half.

This is the third quarter, but basically six quarters being played here today.

Josh for.

Right.

Couldn't get it to go down.

Tommy Gray with the rebound follows his own shot there up and in 13 there so the big scores of the big man if you will back and forth here basically canceling each other out here in this first half.

Make it up by two ball loose looking ahead there.

And as Brandon Williams puts the shot, he follows his own shot, lays it up one point, go there.

Another opportunity dumps it inside this time and Grillo makes it happen.

Mark, played by Brandon Williams.

They're padding his rebound average and then pass it off for the assist stealer.

You know, we talked about the the two and three sport athletes out there on the floor today.

And as you look through some of the accomplishments, again, these guys and girls aren't only excelling on the basketball court.

Some of these players actually took a trip out to California I to leave to compete in the soccer championships as well.

A lot a lot of things going on and a lot of the season's over laughing as well to keep him busy.

Yeah, the indoor wheelchair soccer championships were held out in San Diego this year and Clayton was in that was in that competition.

They came in second second to the local San Diego team.

Did a great job there.

They're going to look at our officials here today, of course, Ken Gordon right here.

And you picture Kelly Omari and Anthony White, the three officials for today's game and doing a good job.

Lastly, how many different sports are offered in the adapted sports program?

Currently, we start off in the fall with indoor wheelchair soccer, which is a sport that kids who have power wheelchairs can also play.

And the winner we go to wheelchair basketball, the power chair.

Kids start playing power wheelchair hockey.

In the spring, we go to track and field and we also in the spring have added in beat baseball, which is for the blind, visually impaired and that's how you get a hold of the American Association of Adaptive Sports Programs.

That's not right.

They're a sport.

19 Hall So far in this game, it has gone back and forth.

We have been treated to quite a show today.

Well, on a pace to go way over the score and averages for both teams, if this pace continues and the shooting percentages stay like they have been.

And I think you've got to attribute that to the both both coaches and level as we talk about both teams, we're a little, you know, a little hesitant last week, a little nervous, but they've come right in here, even in a bigger arena, and they've put up some numbers here.

And I think that's a great tribute to these coaches, rallying them together.

It's kind of like that scene in Hoosiers where they measure the rim.

It still and still ten feet tall there.

You know, even though the arena's a lot bigger, the dimensions of the floor are still the same.

That's true.

And it was awfully quiet in those locker rooms when I was in there earlier.

I was a little concerned.

But focus getting focused and a great arena.

This is the Gwinnett Arena for the Georgia High School Association to put on their high school basketball championships this year.

The Gwinnett Arena opened earlier this year.

So actually the first year of business for these folks.

And I think the Georgia High School Association has a three year agreement.

So they're going to be here for three years.

Yep.

Yep.

One of the rare stoppages of the clock today.

And it comes on a time out there as you get a look at Patricia Hill talking things over with her team here.

Leslie, how did this relationship come about between you and the Georgia High School Association through to make this game possible?

Well, we always had a vision of ourselves as being their counterparts and that we want to be recognized as the governing, sanctioning body.

Move it for kids who are high school athletes, who are participating in our program, who have disabilities.

And so the natural partner to go to is GHC, because those folks, Devin, the able bodied sports and I agree that that seemed appropriate.

Our level of experience with that ASP we've got Paralympic level and NC to a level coaches who are on our boards and train our coaches and our referees.

We've just got an awful lot of experience and a tremendous knowledge base in the association.

And don't go away at halftime either folks, because at halftime Jim Jordan will have the executive director of Ash with him and also Ralph SPURGEON as well from the Georgia High School Association, who's asking you for this one coming up at halftime for 17 to go in this third quarter before the half.

As we mentioned, again, six, eight minute periods make up the first and second halves of the GHC, Georgia Wheelchair basketball championships.

And glad you could join us.

But two quarters and we haven't decided anything yet.

No, except that both of these teams are playing well and competing at a top level step.

Yet I wonder what those coaches were saying during that time out with the score being so close.

Great effort by Ryan.

They're trying to save the ball from going out of bounds.

I believe they're going to give it.

Ryan has got a fifth wheel on the back of his wheelchair that keeps him from flipping over backwards.

The only problem with that is also stops him from popping wheelies.

And there's about a two foot drop off off this floor down to the surface of the arena.

And with his antler chip in the back there, he couldn't papa wheeling it back up, but the ball goes over to make it.

Yep, the bears with it.

32 Danielle Duncan was so high school dribbling, looking inside.

They're trying to feed it inside to Strongbow for Tommy Gray and now back on the other end.

And that one knocked away ball still in play.

Gray keeps it alive Along that line.

One man pressed by Grant a nice pass.

inside to Joshua Wright.

Tremendous teamwork on that.

Joshua Jerome Wright of Rutland High School, averaging right around 14 points a game.

He's got a pretty good average himself a little more balance on the make and Bears team with their scoring as I mentioned Joshua White averaging four to Wright averaging 14, Tommy Gray 18 and Danielle Duncan averaging five and a half.

Mark Groff with the dribble there a while ago, back to the hands of Ryan Perillo for the wall being guarded pretty good here in zone defense you see Ryan there was calling for somebody to come up and set him a pick to release him.

He was stuck up there and a little too far out to shoot.

But back on the other end, Tommy, great service going back and catch him, but off the shot lays it up and in and boy continues to dominate underneath here.

One thing we haven't talked a lot about today is speed.

And it really seems to be a key getting up and down the floor here.

Neither team really able to get back in transition defense too much here because you've got a couple of speedsters out there.

So that's really been a challenge.

And keeping those chairs moving and keeping control of the ball is is quite a little balancing act.

And some of these guys have really mastered it.

Back on the other end, looking inside, they're trying to get Trey good knocked away there by preload.

He got the ball and off and running cross all alone underneath but free throw had it knocked away from behind.

Good save right there by Tommy.

Great in the hands of Danny Maddox.

Thought about the shot ball loose and brought out of there by the big man Gray.

He pushes it ahead.

That's Joshua Wright.

Get on the other end being chased.

But he will put up the shot that won't go anybody.

Meredith trying to come up with it.

Three low back and dribbling across midcourt and on the other end three on one numbers here momentarily that little shot a little short there and he likes that shot from the right side, tiny gray back.

Moving on the other end, Danny Maddox with the defense there took a tumble.

Maddox is tough.

He's all right.

You're 23, 19.

That's pretty much the largest lead this afternoon.

If that indicates to you how this game has gone.

Again, not a lot of substitution out here running clock.

All of the basketball championships can also be viewed live on the GPB Internet site at WWL dot GPB dot org.

Just follow the links to connect to the game.

All of the games from this weekend will be archived and available on the Gp-B website as well.

Again that's WW dot gp-b dot org.

Great.

Going to the line for a couple of free throws here hits on the first great rotation on that shot early 2419 five point lead here just a minute 16 as you see left in the first half Tommy Gregg again with 14 points and six rebounds up front.

What's up And it's peer right there.

I've got it.

Well, Coach Hill's berating a couple of the players and also encouraging a couple of them, just like any coach would do in a huddle.

And they're probably going to try to work the ball, maybe get something for rhyme, at least try to get a good look at something down here as we close in on the half time and they've dropped behind by six, they're going to look at free Lowe's number 17.6, rebound strong first half right there.

A little over a minute left.

Coach Hill encouraging some of those players to dig up a little bit, really emphasizing the defense there.

Brandon Williams with the ball.

He's done a great job rebounding and now a great job for an outside shot.

And that's a big score for the Macon Bears.

But that's a big ball right there.

2521 Back to a four point game under a minute.

Like some of my outside shots don't call banks that People should just know that what you're trying to do exactly.

42 seconds left again, Dre, with the basketball.

And that's exactly who the bears want the ball in the hands of here.

As the final seconds tick off the clock, it a foul going to be called in the lane.

I'm all set.

But you're going to call that when they're on the animatics.

This could be another shot.

A short night right there from Dre.

But the bears keep it alive and a good pass inside from Dre.

And it's up and in right there to Danielle Duncan.

She didn't miss that shot.

That's about our fourth shot from that spot in the ballgame so far.

Back on the other end, Lauren Jackson chasing a ball, but Dre will beat her to it.

12 seconds left.

Time winding down here.

Dre looking up at that clock.

He knows what's on there.

Playing for one final shot here.

Perhaps.

nice little dump pass once again, deja vu.

This time they couldn't get the shot to go.

Final second and no one's going to catch up to it.

And that is it for first half action in the first 24 minutes complete 2721 Macon Bears.

But let's go ahead, throw it on down the floor.

Lisa, we standing by with coach Glen Watkins.

Thanks, Dave.

I'm with head coach of the Macon Bears, Glynn Watkins.

I know it's got to feel good to have a lead at half.

Yeah, I love having to lead and give our team momentum going into halftime.

We can come out in the second half and do the same.

I know this means a lot to you.

Yet to beat the Golden Eagles in the state championship game.

You've been here before, but you haven't come out ahead.

What's going to be the key this time?

We got to continue to set, pick on our lead player and execute and slow the game down and take it out of calm and not force it.

All right, Coach, good luck.

All right.

Thank you.

Dave, back to you.

All right.

Sounds good.

Let's go ahead, throw it to a break again to make it bears up by six.

We'll take time out and be right back.

You're watching the Georgia Wheelchair basketball championship on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

And welcome back to the arena at the Gwinnett Civic Center.

It's halftime of the wheelchair championship.

And as you see, the Macon Bears lead, the Clayton Eagles 27 to 21.

And hello again, everybody.

I'm Jim Ginn.

Akio joining me at the house to talk more about this alliance between the American Association of Adaptive Sports Programs and the Georgia High School Association is the executive director of the Georgia High School Association, Dr. Ralph Swearingen.

Doc, this is a great, great combination out here today, especially here at in front of all these fans.

we think so.

It's exciting to be just a small part of this whole situation and the alliance between the ask and the Georgia High School Association is very important to us.

Now.

What was the reason for starting all of this?

I mean, it's a great organization and I mean, obviously a great basketball game.

It really is.

Several years back, Beverly and Tommy Storms met with our executive committee and talked just about possibilities of of how we could work with our disabled athletes.

We looked at their program and saw that these were first class people who really knew what they were doing.

They invited me out.

I listened to a group of the team, Holyfield All-Star basketball team, tell about what participation in sports had done for their lives.

It was exactly what we believe that the abled body programs do for those students.

It dawned on me we were neglecting a large number of high school students who could benefit.

So we started brainstorming.

We've developed we've gotten to this point, right, And we hope to move forward.

That's great.

And joining us also here at the half dock, as you well know, Bevan, the co-founder and president of the American Association of Adaptive Sports Programs.

Welcome and boy, I tell you what, this is an exciting day.

Thank you so much.

We are very excited to be here and thank Georgia Public Broadcasting and GHC for inviting us to share the day with them.

And we're proud of the teams that are here today and the coaches and everybody that's helped to helped us get here.

So and as we were talking earlier, this really is a historic day.

This is a historic day in Georgia something we as Georgians can all be proud of.

This is the first wheelchair basketball state championship game held in cooperation with the High School Association Championship games.

Now, tell us a little bit more about AA, ESP or better known as ESP, Correct?

ASP or ASP stands for the American Association of Adaptive Sports Programs.

This is an athletic association that was founded in 1996 to create equitable opportunity for Georgia students with physical disabilities and visual impairments through athletics.

That's great.

And of course you mentioned the students and what a great benefit it really is for students.

It really is.

And as Dr. Swearingen mentioned earlier, we see the same benefits, if not more, for this student population.

Often this population of students really doesn't have the same hasn't had the same opportunity.

And that's what we've been working on really over 20 years to establish.

Parents tell us that this is the first time, you know, their kids are being held accountable.

We have a no pass, no play policy for students who are mainstreamed, for those in special education.

They have to adhere to their IEP goals and of course, strength, endurance and something that we as educators are very important concerned about are academics.

And so kids are motivated to keep their grades up, to come to practices, to be on time.

They're learning how to be a part of a team, how to take direction, how to deal with winning and losing.

And so all the benefits that you can imagine for able bodied students, these students enjoy as well.

And of course, you have a great website to tell us about that.

We do.

For more information, to learn more about the programs or how you may want to get involved, go to WW Dot a.s.a.p dot org to learn more.

That's great.

Now we were also talking earlier about team Holyfield.

I think that's pretty interesting.

Team Holyfield is team of our state state all star wheelchair basketball a combination of kids from all over the state who are on their teams, their coaches get to vote them on to team Holyfield and Evander Holyfield helped sponsor that team.

And they play at a national level.

So they get to play on their local ASP teams and then they get to go and play on a national level as well.

So those are some of the more talented wheelchair basketball players.

And we have several members here today on Team Holyfield as well.

Okay, great.

Well, thank you so much for joining us at the half and congratulations on this great day.

Thank you so much.

And just it's great to be here.

Thanks.

Okay.

And Dr. Al-Suwaij, and thank you for joining us at the half.

My pleasure.

As always.

It's been a lot of fun.

Okay.

So it's halftime making leads, Clinton 27 to 21 at the half.

We'll take a time out.

I'll be back with more from the arena at, Gwinnett Civic Center.

They're doing great, making Bears 27, the Clayton Eagles 21.

As we get set for second half action.

Let's go ahead, throw it courtside with Lisa Weise.

All right.

All right.

Thanks, Dave.

Now, Coach Hill, I know you're in a weird situation.

You're playing catch up.

That's unusual.

That's okay.

No, that's a good team sport.

And we're going to catch up and we're going to win that either way.

What's it going to take?

It's going to take a little bit more team effort.

Well, looking at the court following the floor.

All right, Coach, thanks.

Good luck in the second half.

Dave, back to you.

All right.

Taking a look back at that first half, it was very eventful and is basically a lot of one on one competition here.

Ryan Parilla right there in your picture had a big first half.

Yeah.

We've mentioned Ryan before the game.

He's going to dominate the ball and he's a great scorer, also a great passer.

There you see a three pointer that might have been his first score of the day.

Brandon Williams with the ball and has was doing a great job on the boards and he also made the long bank shot of for the Macon Bears.

Tommy Gray has really been the big hitter but they're going to look at Joshua Rogers also pitched in Joshua Wright scoring for six points that first half here you see Tommy Gray nice bank shot takes it into the lane kind of bulls his way in there and you can see how he's able to do that.

Nice pass again by Tommy.

Great.

And Joshua.

Right.

And they're going to look at the first half stats again field goals nine of 12 for Clayton, 12 of 26 for Macon.

They're putting up more shots to goal percentage though very much in the favor of the Eagles offensive rebounds.

You get a look at it four two in favor of Macon.

So again as we open up second half play right here the Macon Bears indeed on top And as Lisa talked to Coach Hill here, playing a little bit of catch up right now.

They've got to get that offense going.

Leslie, how would you grade that first half from what you've seen?

I'd say they've had an excellent first half, lots of good shots going up, lots of hustle on the floor.

Macon has had some tremendous team work passing off and hit, finding the open guy for the shot, Some good coaching out.

There are both of these teams at full strength, all their players here for both teams they are so coattails a little bit limited over there but only one player on the bench as far as their options.

And she's got to keep a close eye on the players to make sure that she gets some folks, some rest there in the ballgame.

That's true.

We also have a policy within the Aspley that no athlete can set the bench, so every athlete will play a minimum of one of those three periods in each half for yellow.

Quickly back on the other end with the shot off the mark there was Clayton advancing to the championship game after beating number two seeded West Georgia, the Wolverines in the semifinals last weekend.

We heard bev miss mentioning the Evander Holyfield team which competes on the national level.

Any of the kids in this ballgame today competing on the national level.

Listen, if I'm not mistaken, although I don't work hand in hand with Team Holyfield, I'm pretty sure that Joshua is on that team from the Macon Bears.

Ryan is a former Team Holyfield athlete, although I don't believe currently he's on the national team and I believe limited himself to local player Ryan Grillo with a shot right there certainly has the skills to play in action, looks like to me.

Does who does the traveling that's involved with that national team and adding that extra team practice on can be a bit much.

You're trying to worry about your academics as well.

The it's a balancing act just like it is in any other student athlete to go through the acquiring of the wheelchair that primarily fall on the families.

Are there any people that donate wheelchairs for this type of activity, or is it pretty much, you know, what the family can afford?

A lot of it is what the family can afford.

We do have some local vendors who will work through our association and give us some real good deals on some reconditioned chairs.

But these court chairs are pretty penny.

They're they're not cheap.

And so it's you find them family struggling for sponsorships and things like that in order to be able to afford the court chair because it really does make a difference in the performance of the athletes.

Well, we certainly hope that some folks are tuned in the day and will be exposed to to what's going on out here and want to participate at some level.

Hopefully some corporate folks more than you have some great sponsors now will will get involved and maybe provide some of the equipment for these athletes.

Yeah, that would really be great because sometimes that is one of the biggest hindrances that they run into.

I remember being at the Paralympics in 96 down in Warm Springs with some of the world class athletes down there.

And they they actually had the guy there that was working on the chairs during the event.

He was taking them apart and putting them back together in Greece in a month and all.

I mean, it was just unbelievable the technology that was going into those athletes.

CHAIR At that time, exactly.

At our state tournament, we don't have it set up here, but we do normally have a vendor out who's just there for wheelchair repair because this is, as you can see, a contact sport.

Sometimes we do have some problems with some chairs.

Brandon Williams with a nice pass inside there to preload, but he couldn't get the shaft going up quickly.

Back on the other end.

It may work out yet.

No, I say, bye, Jerome.

I thought you were like right below.

Try to bring it across me forward once again from Tommy Gray right there in the space ball, Loose and ebony, Meredith had it momentarily, but once again, free throw up with it.

Nice little move right there.

Puts up the shot, hits very smooth move into the lane Believe that's 19 points today for Ryan Perillo again from Mt.

Zion High School.

And as we mentioned earlier on today, a lot of a lot of younger players that there's a wide age gap between a lot of the players.

We've got some seventh graders in the game here today as well, all the way up to seniors in high school.

There are and you'll see it's tremendous for the teams because those seniors become the natural team leaders.

They've got some good experience with leadership skills.

We bring them bring them right up.

So they're right there with them later on.

Nice pass from Evan emeritus there to Tom Davis for the shot and looked like he's too far into the basket.

But he managed to score both the big scores with 19 points a piece here as well in this ballgame.

Three and a half minutes to go in the second quarter of the second half here, the first quarter of the second half, 3125 to make the bears up by six.

And now duck and looks for Tom Gray finds him.

That's not good enough shot didn't go there from Meredith and three low back and going on the other end there and you see his eyes are focusing on that basket couldn't get the shot to go ball loose trying to follow his own shot wouldn't go and Meredith is going to hustle over and just let that ball go on out.

Tommy Gray generates a lot of speed with those big arms that he's got.

He's going to really propel that chair and get up and down the floor.

He's he's really caught a lot of folks from behind this after this morning getting up and down the floor and being able to catch a player way out in front of them.

Of course, as we move further into the action here in the second half, the intensity is only going to pick up and Gray gets another basket.

Both teams are going to start to feel that sense of urgency and realize that that clock's not stopping Brandon Williams and Tommy Gray having a confrontation there.

Tommy was able to break away from the pressure and score again.

Take a look at right here, another look at a good pass inside the three with that basket.

It's been the big score today.

Number three low back on the other, puts up a little shot from outside and hits I told you like that right side is going to have to pay to that Well he's got some range I tell you what he's hit from all over the place.

Had a good early three point shot very early in this ballgame and hasn't let up since he got to under 2 minutes to play here in the quarter 3327 and a whistle fouled No one Danielle Duncan starting to assert herself now taking the ball from half court all the way into the lane couldn't get it to go down getting some more folks involved in the offense.

It looks like Coach Hill was saying it's going to be a team effort in the second half.

It looks like what they're trying to do.

LESLIE Exactly.

By called on Brandon Williams making inbounds from underneath their own goal there.

And Ebony Meredith wisely gets that ball and pulls it out.

Pass is too strong, though.

Gray unable to catch up with that one.

It'll go over all right.

Pretty low set inbound there.

A little bit of backcourt pressure by the bears, once again, a six point lead and another big possession here for Clayton.

The low in the lane puts up the shot clock quite though and Dre down with it back on the other end that's Danielle Duncan who's got some open floor puts up the shot and rattles it in there.

That is a really tough shot.

Anybody ever tried to bank a shot from directly in front of the basket from about 12 or 15 feet?

That's really a tough shot.

The momentum of the chair early throws a different twist on it.

Do It's amazing how much more difficult that shot is to make.

Well, I'm going to try to put one of our guys in a chair after the ballgame.

We got to get a little film on them and see how well they do.

Well, Leslie, you talk about actually taking some of the high school players and putting them in the chairs and, you know, you guys run them up and down the floor.

We have no time taken on the local high school varsity teams with a, you know, like take Clayton into a high school and let them play the varsity team there and we just run away with it.

You look at the replay of that last bucket there by Duncan, kind of open semis, I guess, for those other athletes doesn't lessen.

It really does.

It opens doors, too, because it changes some attitudes and attitude.

Is half the battle great On the other end, just a couple like, little hole right there.

Well, they haven't found an answer for Tommy Gray around the house yet, and they're going to have to find one.

It's now ten point lead for the Macon Bears.

They are on top.

We'll take a timeout and be right back.

In the Georgia Wheelchair basketball championships on GPB 3727, the Macon Bears lead it over the Clayton Eagles in the GHC Wheelchair Championship.

Dave Gardner, Herb White, Leslie Sweat.

I'm with you.

They said We salsa with us this afternoon and right off the bat, a big bucket there by Clayton and Leslie, as you were talking about.

It's one team that can come back.

It's these Clayton Eagles.

They've been here before in this championship.

They know what it takes.

They have they're an experienced team and Ryan never gives up.

If Macon lets up at all and leaves the back door open, I can assure you Clayton will walk through it.

Let's go get there.

It's going to be interesting to see how they hold up under the pressure as it gets into that towards the end of the ballgame for the Macon Bears, as you say, this is really a big game for them as they've never beaten these guys in a championship and they've got the lead going into the fourth quarter.

That's a lot of pressure.

On if that happens.

There's a guy not feeling much pressure right now.

Tommy Great.

Now, without a doubt.

Without a doubt.

Well, you know, Macon, as we mentioned, they overcame a 16 point deficit to defeat Clayton.

The big question is now, can Clayton do the same thing?

A little payback here, maybe?

That's right.

They do.

We have an official record for a wheelchair basketball player as far as point scored off the top of my head working from memory a former athlete out of one of the Augusta area teams I believe his scored in the fifties and a championship game.

Wow.

Yeah that's up snap coming up later on again the DHS a state championship class a Double-A and triple-A boys and girls starting at 11 a.m.. Keep it right here Georgia Public Broadcasting again championship weekend.

Well a moment ago we saw a nice pass from Tommy great again to Joshua Wright for the bucket back on the other end Ray with it has really been the workhorse driving in there one on one again with Brillo backs up a little bit backs off of it, can't get the shot to go nice job by Perillo Brandon Williams again with another rebound and he's one guy that can match up with Tommy as far as strength and size and he's done a good job of kind of shadowing Tommy Get Matthew Wing go in there along with Jennifer Kinard.

There's a shot right there.

Big shot once again on the move.

Ryan Perriello.

That's just amazing to me how he can coast and fire and get another look at it right here from outside.

As we mentioned, he's got some range, nothing but net slows down a little bit but didn't stop turn over right there little over and back violation called there still a ten point game making bears in control here clock continuing to roll right at 418 rather 518 here.

I've got about 5 minutes left and then one more quarter to decide this wheelchair championship.

Glad you could join us.

It's been exciting has been back and forth that time off the glass wouldn't go but the ball will stay with the Eagles.

I'm going to look at coach Patricia Hall.

You know, Leslie, we talk we talk a lot about the the of course, the Bears and Eagles, the two teams in the championship.

But there's also a lot of other teams that make up the league and certainly want to recognize all those folks because they've worked hard this year to just couldn't quite get to this level.

But again, without a doubt, I want to recognize everybody.

Yeah, we've got quite a few teams down, quite a few teams throughout the state.

We've got City of Atlanta Sports, the team, the Wolfpack, the Cobb Cougars, three teams in the Augusta area, the Columbia Fireballs, the Richmond Dream team and the Richmond stars.

Two DeKalb County teams, the red hot rollers and the silver streaks for county sports.

The team in North Fulton County, as well as the West or the Wolverines.

And our new team, the Muskogee Lions in Columbus, Georgia.

covered a little bit of geography right there.

what a pass inside.

And that goes in there, too, right now.

Man, what a nice play there.

Those coaches on that may contain it really worked on that.

Teamwork there as passes are beautiful Again you'll see Nice use of the glass here you Joshua Right right off the glass.

So back on the other end now plate trying to answer Danny Maddox puts up the shot wouldn't quite go just a little short right off the front of that iron That's again gray with the push and a foul going to be called.

That's one of those chair fouls we were talking about.

That little bit of tap is enough to slow them down and that's the advantage.

That's the foul.

Coach.

Patricia Hill Fifth period of the second half, again, we're playing six, six, eight minute periods with a continuous clock for the final 3 minutes and 10 seconds here and then one more period to the side at all.

And it's still a pretty close game.

4331 But again, Clayton, they've got a weapon over there in Perillo who could bring this team back right shot up right there and it's good gosh you're right catching fire here in the second half he's got six or eight points here in this quarter.

I believe he is on a roll as we take another look at it.

And a pass, Tommy Gray's favorite target back on the other end, three point shot just off the mark there from three low and the ball will go out of bounds.

And that's one thing, you know, talking about Tommy.

Great.

Yeah, he's the big score.

But I've made it made seen him make a lot of unselfish passes today as well.

Ryan Perillo trying to get three back, maybe a little desperation, 14 point differential and it's you're not going to see a whole lot of three point shots for a team to get back in a ballgame.

So back on the other end there, Gary working that baseline rattled in and out of there during the two minute mark in the fifth quarter.

Lauren Jackson, she keeps sync out, seeking Tommy Gray out trying to set a pick for Ryan.

Every time I watch her, she's trying to put that chair in there so that he's going to learn to use what they've got.

She may not have enough upper body strength to be an accurate shooter, but she knows she can.

Still a sister team.

Right.

And you'll dunk a nice pass back to right Lays it up and wouldn't go for those those subtle things that don't show up in the scoreboard but certainly mean a lot to the team great with a nice pass into right there couldn't get the shot to fall back and running Brandon Williams pushing ahead and a whistle going to be called I believe they're going to get right about a block make it needs to score here get back in this thing.

Try to cut that margin down before the end of the fifth period, 4531.

Again, the make it bears over the Clayton Eagles in coach Patricia Hall ninth season watching on here trying to rally your troops Patricia Hill long three off the mark at it back on the other end Duncan lays it out too strong off the back of the iron there with by go Danny Maddox little rebound there right now 46 seconds two on one here that's Brandon Williams with it knocked away Good hustle by Daniel Duncan to get back on defense Yeah two on one look like they're going to score but they're going to have one more shot.

It was about 30 seconds to go in the period Rolo will inbound the give back to him in that corner.

Thinking about the shot puts it up short drop down by gray.

20 seconds left right now.

Not for one last bucket.

what a pass inside.

It wouldn't go, though, for Duncan.

Then right back down.

Not a lot of second chance points here this afternoon for either team.

great.

Hands there by Danielle Duncan to catch the ball.

A great shot again by Danielle.

Right the middle that lane with the bank shot and that is it for the quarter at the buzzer Danielle Duncan wides the gap for the Macon Bears they lead at 4731.

We'll take a timeout and be right back with the sixth and final quarter of the GHC wheelchair championship on GPB.

We are back 4731 Macon Bears lead it over the Clayton Eagles as we get set for the sixth and final period of play here from the arena at Gwinnett Center, Dave Garner, Herb Wyatt, Leslie Sweat and back with you Lisa.

We see also joining us on the baseline today here as well.

And the Bears trying to close this thing out here.

Less than 8 minutes on their way to a possible championship.

You did it all with the Eagles trying to fire back here a little bit.

This thing was has basically been knotted up this entire ballgame with that last quarter.

The bears were able to put a little bit of distance between themselves and the Eagles.

Yeah, they spread the scoring out.

Tommy Gray and and Joshua Wright and Danielle Duncan all getting in and scoring some points in those last two periods.

And it's been a big difference for far as a teamwork Clayton getting a little desperate now Ryan Perriello's scores going to see some full court pressure I'm sure and some turned up defense for these guys because they need to get that ball back get back in this thing with that running clock makes it tough.

And that was one of the few times today we actually saw a second or third opportunity underneath the goal there.

Both teams really in that last quarter stepping it up defensively.

But that time the Eagles had some opportunities.

Well, they need to get out there and get some pressure on Tommy Gray and Ryan Perillo getting a very aggressive block there and it gets the number that Meredith Ebony Meredith look got ebony for a hold there let's go and throw it down courtside to Lisa Weiss you guys mentioned about Tommy Gray and what a great athlete he is and he also is on North Side Warner Robins wrestling team where he wrestles in the 171.

He finished fourth in region.

He made it to state and he is also a nose guard on the football team.

This guy's tough, I'd say.

So I tell you what.

And he looks he looks like a football player, I mean, and a wrestler and everything else.

Well, I'll tell you who's tough is Jennifer Kinard, because she's out there at about, one fourth of the body weight of Tommy Gray, about the size of one of his arms.

And she's out there on the same court with him mixing it up in there as well.

Trey back and pushing on the other in there.

As you get a look at Jennifer Conner, their shot would drive those four fellows back on the other end, actually up top there for Danielle Duncan.

And that was a textbook fast break.

Tommy, great pass off to Joshua.

Right?

Who gives it to Danielle Duncan?

Nice pass and couldn't get it to go down and they ask of course founded I believe in 1996 Leslie in America's first interscholastic governing body for students with physical or visual impairment.

That's right.

We we went and went to begin the official nonprofit organization was formed in 96.

We came out of the DeKalb County School Adaptive Sports Program in in 96, of course, Atlanta won the Olympics and the Paralympics.

We had some of the best and brightest minds in the nation sitting around Atlanta for a couple of years preparing for the Paralympics.

It seemed like a good time to capitalize.

So we got some of those folks on our board, and a few years later, here we are.

What read and you've been recognized really nationwide, but even locally with folks from the, you know, Tommy Nobis Center and in places like that receive a lot of recognition.

It's such an outstanding program.

Once you come out and see it and you meet the athletes and you see the impact it's having, you can understand why they're so why we are so well recognized.

Pretty low with that last basket right there for the Eagles who were trying to claw their way back into this thing.

But right now, Macon with the upper hand up by 12 and, there you see some more clever maneuvering by Ebony Meredith out there trying to free Tommy Gray, giving them the screen they block right there by Perillo.

And the ball is in his hands.

He's going to keep it in his hands like that.

You they just got to butts got score every time they get down the floor.

Now, 4 minutes and 12 seconds with the running clock.

Make it.

Of course, they're not content.

I think they want to score more.

You think they'd maybe try to run that clock a little bit here, But they're trying to score.

They want to play ball.

They've been burned by this team any number of times.

When they've let up a little too soon.

I don't think they're going to make that mistake today.

Well, we see that over and over again, Leslie, in any type of basketball coach gets a little conservative, gets that lead and slows it down, takes his team out of the rhythm.

And the Macon Bears played very, very well here in the second half.

A lot of teamwork.

And I imagine you got to go with what's working for you at this stage.

Fail on the floor prior to that last shot there.

But Craig in back at the line, he had 354 left in the game 25 points today for Mr. Gray and 18 rebounds.

That's impressive.

Brandon Williams getting a good hand as he goes to the sidelines.

Done a great job for his team today.

Really outstanding rebounder.

All right, One, two, one.

Timeout and timeout.

It's like a timeout.

Going to be called right there.

Got quiet Grace setting up for that free throw And then Patricia Hill, now she's got a chance to talk to her dame, see if she can come up with something to get them back in there with.

354 to go.

But it's going to be a challenge.

It's going to be a challenge.

They're going to look at Brandon Williams, who, of course, fouls out here today.

But Brandon, with a good basketball game, the Mt.

Zion High School junior averaging right around five points a game this year, hit right at that today.

And certainly want to congratulate him on the season he's had, as well as both these teams.

He's a young athlete.

He's got quite a few more years of eligibility with us and he's just going to get better.

So, of course, these teams have really come in here and fought all year long.

And of course, it is, as we mentioned, kind of a short season.

We don't play a lot of games.

So they got make them count.

Of course, making came in here as the number one seed plate.

And of course, the defending champ.

Both teams met earlier in the season.

Of course, Macon winning that contest after overcoming that 16 point deficit in a one point win over West Georgia, which is really a character win.

It was making very teams at that point.

They knew that, hey, they had the tools to win a championship.

That really was that was such a big win for them, you know, psychologically getting getting ready for those semifinals.

And then here today.

And just a reminder again, for more information on the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, log on to their website.

That's WW dot a.k.a.

Sport.

Leslie that's been picking up momentum in the last two or three years as you mentioned from when the Olympics And then also we've talked a little earlier before we went on the air about what percentage of eligible athletes might be participating.

I know you don't have the exact figures, but there's probably still a very, very large pool of potential athletes out there.

There absolutely is.

Sometimes It's hard to find these athletes.

They're in their home schools, in their neighborhood schools.

They're all in regular ed programs.

So they're not reported throughout the state in terms of statistics that we can look up sometimes that are hard to locate.

Well, more athletes that participate, it's certainly going to make it the competition more equitable.

You're going to have, you know, kids from the same age group participating and same abilities participating and it just be a, you know, more well-rounded participation the more folks we can get to participate.

So we we hope that, you know, televising the game today is going to go a long way towards making that happen.

Absolutely.

We're we'd love to expand this league and give more kids this kind of opportunity this is such an exceptional opportunity for them and it's nice for them to finally have that opportunity as they're able bodied peers have had for a very long time now.

All right, Joshua.

All right.

With that last bucket, followed his own miss there and got the shot pass a little taller than Daniel Duncan, using the fingertips to catch that fast and with force finishing it up, Thomas Gray's got some zip on those passes injured.

Right.

That was just tremendous hands.

I mentioned our hands a little while ago.

she touches the ball.

She catches it.

Can't be afraid of the ball.

If you want to play with Tommy, great athletic play right there.

Indeed.

Wow.

Look at the stretch.

Goodness.

Here's a shot from outside and pretty low off the marker basically for the Clayton.

Yeah.

With just 220 left here, they're going to have to start throwing it up from three point land.

That's about all the chance they have left.

And again, on behalf of the folks at Georgia Public Broadcasting, we feel like this is certainly of our mission to serve all of the people in Georgia.

And it's just been a great thing for all of us at the station.

Every married off the side of the rim there right, though, gets it back.

The follow won't go.

Lauren Jackson nearly got a handle on that ball It her teammate brought it down below but Brandon out of the game Ryan has fewer fewer folks that he feels comfortable passing the ball to with somebody like Tommy Gray lurking out there.

You look at Danny Maddox, he gives it back to four yellow, fires, it up from three point land, but off the mark.

Tom Gray pulls it down.

Well, certainly a great day for the Macon Bears and their fans.

As Leslie, as you mentioned, they've they've had a lot of frustration against this Clayton Eagles team for several years now, and certainly a well-deserved win for Coach Watkins and his gang.

Also, as we mentioned to Jarvis Emery, assistant coach, too, is also is an ASP alumnus as well.

They're to the Mercer University.

And so I want to congratulate those guys.

Those coaches have done a great job this year.

How hard.

I have a minute left and it looks like the Make It Bears will indeed wrap up the championship here today at the Arena Gwinnett Center finish out the season at five and one overall entering of course, the championship as the number one seed defense.

that like on the other end there.

Hey I think it just really made and lucky that didn't go in right there and throws it up shot wouldn't quite go that might have been a part of the strategy get that other team you know confused there a little bit and reload just takes off down the floor had us confused for a moment that's easy to do as well Scott short right there again, 25 seconds and counting right here in this championship game.

Certainly appreciate all the all the folks tuning in there and honored to be a part of history here today.

You're all so we're all so excited to have this opportunity.

Really appreciate the help from GPB and and GHC as well to showcase these kids talents and also the folks who decided to come on board and sponsor this and underwrite this game.

We want to thank them and you've seen them throughout the game today.

So just a great for everybody.

And the final seconds are off the clock and that's it.

The Macon Bears are the ASP wheelchair champions in 2004 were, the final score of 51 to 35.

And as you can see, the celebration is coach Glynn Watkins and the Macon Bears celebrating that championship.

But again, take your hats off to the Clayton Eagles, who had an excellent season, just couldn't quite make it happen here today.

But Leslie, nonetheless, a great season all the way around for all these teams.

Both these teams have worked very, very hard to get here.

And I know that they're both very excited to have the opportunity.

Unfortunately, somebody's got to win.

Somebody's got to lose.

Daniel Duncan right there.

And your picture had a big ball game into double figures.

They actually saw a smile on her face there a little bit.

Let's go ahead, throw it on down the floor to Lisa Weise, who stayed in by.

All right, thanks, Coach Watkins saw you celebrating.

This has got to feel good.

You've been waiting for this for a long time.

It feels great.

After eight years of pursuing a championship, being sick of being third, being fourth, we're finally first.

We love it.

I know not to take anything away from Clayton Eagle because I know you guys have a rivalry and you respect and love.

You know Coach Hill and what she's done.

How good does it feel, though, to beat them to get this state trophy?

It always be a good beat down court no matter what talent Pat has.

She always bring number one A-game.

And I really enjoyed playing against.

What can you say about how your kids play today?

They played great.

I've never seen that good shooting.

FBI harp on every week about making a layup and making shots when you see it.

Michael All right, Coach, congratulations.

Enjoy this win.

Thank you.

Love it.

Day back to you.

All right.

There you have it again, the A championship.

And Glen Watkins is obviously a very happy man, as are the Macon who, again, are being awarded the championship trophy this afternoon right here again, the GHC Wheelchair basketball championships on GPB.

That's it for us again for Laci Wiese and Dave Gardner, along with Herb White and Leslie Sweetman, we appreciate you joining us.

Thank you.

Glad to be here.

Championship trophies being presented today's broadcast of the American Association of Sports Programs 2000 for Georgia wheelchair basketball championships has been made possible by sloppy and sad attorneys of law.

The U.S. medical supply, the Atlanta Hawks.

And by IBEW local number 613.