The Aussie men’s wheelchair basketball team, the Rollers, will have to overcome a group of death and a tough schedule if they’re to win a Paralympic medal.

But Aussie wheelchair basketball legend Liesl Tesch believes they have it in them.

The Rollers will take on the Netherlands at 5.30am AEST on Friday morning, then back it up by playing Tokyo gold medallists Spain at 8.45pm on Friday.

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“That’s a very quick overnight turnaround … but we’ve got it in us,” Tesch said on Stan Sport’s Paralympics Preview.

“They’re just off the back of a great national league season in Australia, and I believe they can get onto that podium.

“But it’s going to be really hard for us – we’ll have to (play) every game as good as they possibly can.

“Fingers and toes (crossed).”

Once the Rollers are through those first two matches, they’ll play the USA on Sunday evening (AEST) in their final group match.

Tesch said she believed wheelchair basketball was “the best sport in the Paralympics by far”.

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She explained the classifications of a wheelchair basketball team, and how managing differently classified players is heavily strategic.

“Someone who’s a high-level paraplegic is worth one point. Someone who’s a below-knee amputee sits in a much higher chair (and is worth 4.5 points).

“The players are classified according to their functional ability on the court, and altogether, the five players must add up to 14 points.”

Should the coach get that wrong, they’ll receive a technical foul.

To answer to another common question, the height of the ring is exactly the same as it is in able-bodied basketball.

“It’s a crazy sport of incredible talents,” Tesch said.

Tesch competed in wheelchair basketball at five Paralympics from Barcelona 1992 to Beijing 2008, winning silvers at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, and bronze in Beijing.

She then switched to sailing with partner Daniel, and won gold at the London and Rio Paralympics.

Unfortunately, the Aussie women did not qualify for Paris.

Tesch now in politics, and is the NSW member for Gosford.

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