Without seeing it, this game would appear to be nothing more than a typical pick-up game of basketball. There were two standout stars on opposing teams. Players hustled to every loose ball. The most exciting moments came on fast breaks. There were argued calls, hard collisions and lots of trash talking.

In fact, they were in a wheelchairs. Players had to rely solely on their upper body strength to move, pass and shoot, which was difficult for those who normally would compete without chairs.

"It's a big adjustment not being able to use your legs to shoot," said Daniel Jordan, a freshman at State College Area High School.

Students and community members, some of who are handicapped and some of who are not, get together every Wednesday and Friday night at the White Building for two hours of wheelchair basketball. Most of the participants who have the use of their legs do so for course credit.

"Students are only required to participate once, but most of them have become regulars," said Teri Jordan, Penn State Abilities Athletics Coach and Disabilities Recreation Programs Director.

The willingness of the students to give up part of their bodies was appreciated by the players.

"It shows that people really care," said participant Rohan Murphy (senior-kinesiology), who was born with deformed legs and had them amputated as an infant.

Murphy is a member of the Penn State wrestling team. Murphy and fellow participants Kortney Clemons and Maggie Redden are part of the United States Paralympic Team.

As evidenced by their prestigious backgrounds, playing against these athletes is no easy task. "It's 100 times harder than playing regular basketball," Jeff Reed (sophomore-animal bioscience) said. "We're the ones with disabilities out there."

The wheelchair basketball team will be playing a team of coaches in the Bryce Jordan Center at halftime of the exhibition game between the Penn State men's basketball team and Edinboro on Nov. 1. Since the team contains players outside of the university, they are not eligible for intercollegiate play.

At the end of the evening, Murphy's team had beaten Clemons'. Murphy celebrated by rolling around the floor, his hands high in the air in the shape of a diamond, reminding his opponents that his team had become a dynasty.