Low Riders Larry Craig (top) and Loren Cushing go through strength and shooting drills during preparation for their upcoming games against the Rolling Rebels from Portland next weekend. Low Riders roll to wins Basketball on wheels provides competition Four basketball players zip down the floor. A fifth dribbles the ball, bringing it down slowly, looking for an open man. Five defenders mill around, setting up a zone defense, wait ing for a pass and chance at an interception. Finally, a pass sets things in motion. The ball travels right, then back to the point, then right again. A player snatches the ball, drives to the basket and shoots Two points are added to the scoreboard. This basketball game, played by the Lane County Low Riders, varies little from any other bas ketball game — except for the wheelchairs. The Low Riders were founded in 1977 as the Eugene Kami kazes. Wheelchair basketball has the distinction of being the only organized team sport for han dicapped athletes, says Chester Faller, point guard for the Low Riders and director of ALERT, a University organization for the handicapped "We view it as football for the disabled.” The Low Riders are 10-1 so far this season, but "are proba bly in a comparable position to the (Oregon) women’s basket ball team last year,” Faller says. “We deserve to be ranked, but the rest of the league is weak." While no national statistics are kept for wheelchair basket ball, the shooting percentage is only slightly lower than that for college teams, says Bob Crandall, a member of the Low Riders. In their last two games, both against the Puget Sound team, the Low Riders averaged 48 percent and 53 percent from the floor, shooting 22-46 and 17-32. From the line the Low Riders shot 7-22 and 6-17, 32 percent and 35 percent. Free throw per HEWLETT HEWLETT HEWLETT HEWLETT HEWLETT PACKARD HEWLETT PACKARD HEWLETT PACKARD HEWLETT T PACKARD TD □ a < X U < a □ a