SNAKES READY TO ROLL AT CHALLENGE
IT WOULD be nice for the Hoopsnakes to come from nowhere to become champions, but the end result won’t be the most important part of this weekend’s Northern Challenge.
The Cairns wheelchair basketball team will host the third round and finals of the competition at Manunda, welcoming teams from as far south as Frenchville for the weekend.
The Hoopsnakes would need to generate an unparalleled run of success in their remaining pool games to be a chance of making Sunday’s grand final, but the team, comprising athletes from Cairns, the Tablelands and Tully, has already won the admiration of their peers.
Earlier this year, the Hoopsnakes were due to compete in the first two rounds at Mackay, when flooding forced the closure of the Bruce Hwy north of Ingham. Rather than turn around and go home, the Hoopsnakes pushed on.
The eight-hour road trip was closer to 18, but with no sleep, the group, led by coach Garry Parker and court captain Adam Howarth, still took to the court and challenged their opponents.
They lost all four games – twice each to Mackay and Frenchville – but will have a chance to overturn those results on their home court for the first time in years.
David Holzheimer, the wheelchair basketball program officer for the Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association, said it was an exciting weekend for the team and those involved in program.
“It’s the first time Cairns has hosted this in years, so it’s a really good opportunity for us to promote the sport,” he said.