ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — Minnesota sports fans have good reason to celebrate.
The U.S. women's wheelchair basketball team beat China in the Paralympic semifinals in Paris Friday, advancing the team to the gold medal game Sunday against the Netherlands.
Team USA trailed for most of the game until taking the lead late in the third quarter and ending with a 50 to 47 win. It's sweet revenge considering three years ago, the team lost to China in the Tokyo Paralympics semifinals.
Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute held a watch party Friday at Bunny's Bar and Grill, where most of the attendees wore red, white and blue.
"USA, USA, USA," they chanted.
Sharon Van Winkel's eyes were stuck to the screen.
"Well, it's been back and forth, back and forth," she said. "I'm here to cheer them on and -- come on ladies, we need a gold medal here!"
Once a world competitor herself, Van Winkel has a special connection to the team.
"Three of the girls on the USA team came from the Twin Cities area," she explained. "Rose and Abby and Josie are incredible women."
Rose Hollermann, Abby Bauleke and Josie Aslakson grew up playing at Courage Kenny.
"I coached Rose when she was from the age of 6 to 12 … and my husband coached her in track," Van Winkel said. "After I took over as Director of Sports and Rec., Josie was on the team, so I was peripherally watching her from the sidelines."
Van Winkel described the Paralympians as winners on and off the court.
"These girls got college scholarships," she said. "Rose is going to Purdue next year."
Courage Kenny sports specialist Megan Welty helped organize the watch party to celebrate how far the athletes and adaptive sports have come, she says.
"The Paralympic movement is just on fire right now and women's sports, right? And women's basketball," Welty said.
Part of Allina Health, the rehabilitation institute offers a variety of adaptive sports programming.
"Some of them are competitive like wheelchair basketball, others are recreational like downhill skiing," Welty explained.
"The opportunities it gives these people, these people meaning myself, too, are magical," Van Winkle added.
Team USA will next play Sunday, Sept. 8 at 6:45 a.m. CST as the women go for gold.