HASTINGS, Neb. – 12 junior athletes are representing Nebraska in the NWBA Wheelchair Basketball National Championships this weekend with a chance to bring home a tournament title. 

The National Wheelchair Basketball Association gives disabled youth and adult athletes the unique opportunity to hit the hardwood and play the game they love.

Hastings High School Senior Jack Ortegren is one of the leaders on the Nebraska Red Dawgs, who are off to the Junior National Championships in Richmond, Virginia this weekend.

The Omaha-based team is the only Junior Division team in Nebraska.

Ortegren and the Red Dawgs will go for gold in his last of 14 years playing with the team.

"The biggest thing is, we have a lot of chemistry. We've been playing with each other for five or six years now," said Ortegren. "It's me, Caiden, Aiden, and Quinn are kind of our big four. We have Jacoby as the five spot, he's the other senior on the team, and he's really fast."

The Red Dawgs have played in tournaments all across the Midwest this year and are the #1 seed in the NWBA Invitational Tournament, similar to the NIT in College Basketball.

"Coach said right away at practice the other day on Saturday: 'It's not you, it's not me, it's got to be us.' said Ortegren. "We're going to have to play as a team, we're going to have to get these wins, because we know we have that target on our back, and we know we're going to get everyone's best shot."

For Ortegren as a high school senior, his playing career will come to an end this weekend, but just four wins separate the Red Dawgs from their first championship title since 2019.

"At practice, I asked the coaches 'Are you bringing your dress clothes for the Sunday game?' and they both were like 'Yeah, I think we're going to be there,' so it was exciting to see that," said Ortegren.
"Being the last game, that's kind of in the rear-view. I had the last practice on Saturday and it was emotional leaving UNO for the last time. But it's life, you're going to have endings, and this is a good way to go out."

The Red Dawgs's first game is against #14 ParaSport Spokane on Friday at 11 a.m., and will be livestreamed on the Nebraska Red Dawgs YouTube page.