Paris Paralympics 2024: Wheelchair Basketball star Tristan Knowles backing Rollers for podium finish

The Rollers have set their sights on their first Paralympic medal in 12 years, after beating some of the world’s best teams to Oceania’s only Wheelchair Basketball qualification spot.

The Rollers have done what many considered almost impossible – beat world No. 3 Iran, reigning Paralympic runner-up Japan and top side Korea to a spot at the Paralympic Games.

New coach Brad Ness and captain Tristan Knowles were part of the last Rollers team to win a Paralympic medal in 2012 and they have no doubt this squad can do the same in Paris.

In five Paralympics appearances, Ness won silver in Athens, gold in Beijing and silver in London.

After serving as assistant coach in Tokyo, where the Rollers finished seventh, he took the reins as coach in September last year.

The recent Asia Oceania Championships was his first tournament in charge.

Ranked seventh in the world, the Aussies were far from favourites to earn the single Paralympics qualification spot available.

They took on three wheelchair basketball titans and beat them all, including Iran in the round game and 53-51 in the final.

The Rollers have qualified for the Paris Paralympics. Photo: X-1 /IWBF

“We were up against a level of competition that was on par, if not better, than most of the competition we played at the World Cup,” Ness said.

“To be ranked seventh and then go there and beat the top teams in the world and beat the third-ranked team twice gives us a huge amount of confidence.

“Over the last 18 months, games that close we would have lost but to win by less than five points was a real credit to the guys and their ability to stick to our process and play 40 minutes of basketball.”

The Rollers have now qualified for Paris and avoided the repechage tournament in France in April, when the four remaining Paralympics spots will be decided.

Ness said adjusting to life as coach had not been easy after being involved as a player for so many years.

“I found myself at loggerheads with the players a fair bit when I first stopped playing,” Ness said.

“That’s the frustration of being an ex-player, you don’t understand why they don’t do it how you did it.

“It’s something I’ve worked on a lot. I think we have found a balance and the guys are enjoying it.”

Tristan Knowles will be heading to his sixth Paralympics – this time as captain. Picture: X-1 /IWBF

At the final training camp before heading to Thailand for the qualifiers, Ness brought in Paralympic wheelchair basketballer Nick Morris to talk to the team.

Morris won gold with the Rollers at the 1996 Games.

“They had also come from seventh position and won gold and I just asked him to tell them a little bit about what they did and a few things about the tour,” Ness said.

“Their motto had been ‘why not us?’ The guys latched on to that and used it as their motto while we were in Thailand.”

Newly appointed captain Knowles played alongside Ness at several Paralympic Games, including the last medal win in London.

The Paris Games will be his sixth.

Knowles said qualifying in such spectacular fashion had given him confidence that the current players could put the Rollers back on the podium.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to experience what it feels like to go all the way to No. 1 in the world,” Knowles said.

Knowles was there when the Rollers won their last Paralympic medal in 2012, and is backing the for a podium finish again in 2024. Picture: X-1 /IWBF

“Our program, particularly during 2008 to 2014, we were able to achieve Paralympic gold and back-to-back world championships.

“When you get a taste for what that feels like it really does become something you become completely obsessed by.

“The frustrating thing over the past 10 years is looking at our playing group and feeling like we never quite reached our potential.

“So (it’s great) to be in this situation now where we’re one of only four teams that have qualified for Paris so far.

“Only eight teams will compete in Paris. We feel like we’re a legitimate chance of going all the way.

“It’s really, really exciting to be going into my sixth Games knowing that this playing group genuinely believes that we can go all the way.”

Working in the team’s favour is the perfect mix of experience and youth. Half the players have been part of a world No. 1-ranked Rollers side.

“We have six players who know what it takes and what it feels like to go all the way and then we have this injection of youth and energy which makes us older players feel young and keeps us on our toes,” Knowles said.

Having Ness in charge has also been a contributing factor.

“Brad captained the team during what we call the Gold Rush period between 2008 and 2014,” Knowles said.

“I’ve always known and have seen first hand what a great leader Brad is.”

Knowles said all focus was now on the Games.

“I honestly believe that this team will not feel fulfilled unless we get to No. 1 in the world,’’ he said.

“And now we have some certainty around what our Paralympics Games looks like and the qualification process, we can start to outline our preparation from now until August and really get to work,”

The Paralympics run from August 28 to September 8.

Originally published as Paris Paralympics 2024: Wheelchair Basketball star Tristan Knowles backing Rollers for podium finish