by Mikal J. Harris

There were no Gatorade dousings or wild extended parties after Rolling Salukis team members clinched their first championship. They just took a team photo and went their separate ways.

For SIUC’s wheelchair basketball team, the real business at hand still is unfinished.

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Rolling Salukis co-captain Earl Jordan anxiously awaits the weekend, as the Rolling Salukis will play the first of two regional tournament games Saturday. A victory in both will catapult the team to the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Final Four Tournament in Nashville, Tenn., later this month.

Jordan, a senior in psychology from Chicago, is a five-year Rolling Salukis veteran. He strongly believes this is the year his team will go to the big dance in Nashville and return as national champions.

Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, but there are no weak links on this team, he said. This is probably the best team we’ve ever had talent wise. We just have to keep our poise under pressure and not panic.

The Rolling Salukis, a team with a 16-9 record, are 12th in the nation among Division II wheelchair basketball teams. Saturday the second-seeded Salukis will face the Peoria Hiwaymen (11-8) in the first round of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Midwest Regional Tournament. The third-seeded Hiwaymen are ranked 23rd nationally.

In other regional tournament action, the Chicago Bulls (29-2), the top-ranked wheelchair basketball team among Division II teams, are playing the fourth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves (17-5). The Timberwolves are ranked 22nd nationally. Game winners will square off Sunday to decide the Midwest championship, and the winner will advance to NWBA Final Four action March 19 through 21 in Nashville, Tenn.

The Rolling Salukis have the edge against the Hiwaymen after taking two of the three games the teams have played this season. During the Saluki Invitational tournament in November, the Salukis won 75-65. Later, during December’s Chicago Invitational Tournament, the Salukis bested the Hiwaymen 75-69.

We’re best in high-scoring games, he said. It’s when the pace slows down that we have trouble.

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The Salukis’ up-tempo game received a huge boost from new recruit James Gouch, who scored 44 points in the Salukis 82-34 blowout of the Tulsa Rollin’ Roustabouts. The team is able to score rapidly by grabbing the extra rebounds afforded by Gouch’s torso height.

In spite of Jordan’s observation about the Rolling Salukis’ strength, Williams said there are other collective weaknesses facing the team. One troubling aspect is the team’s one-man bench there are only six players on the team but Williams believes the team members’ superior conditioning will get them past that hurdle.

The other problem is the team’s defensive play. Williams said there is a solution for that problem as well.

Gouch is our only big man, he said. Most teams have two. We’re going to have to work to win by using a full-court-press, a half-court zone and aggressive defense. In the last Peoria game we had to force them to beat us from the outside.

And Williams is confident this tactic will pay off. He fervently believes the Salukis will prevail Saturday.

That’s not a cocky remark, he said. We’re not overconfident but extremely confident. We have what it takes.

The only thing I’m worried about is how we’re going to get up there to cut those nets down.

Factoid:The Rolling Salukis play the Peoria Hiwaymen 6 p.m. Saturday at the Recreation Center. If they win, they will play in the Midwest Regional Championship game at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Also, volunteers are needed for the National Junior Wheelchair Basketball Tournament March 14 and 15. For information, call Nathan Clark at 453-1273.