SAN ANTONIO – Today, two teams of cancer survivors — the Hardwood Heroes — kicked off the Final Four weekend by going head-to-head at the Alamodome to raise awareness for cancer research. This game returns for a third year as a part of INFINITI's long-standing partnership with Coaches vs. Cancer®, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the NCAA®.

Team Calhoun, led by Coach Calhoun, won by three points, but in this game, there were only winners.

Team Calhoun included Mike Thompson (Austin), Melissa Kovaleski (Phoenix), Harrison Guiol (San Antonio), Lexi Stephens (Houston), J. Dee Marinko (Oklahoma City), Devon Hinton (Dallas) and Jared Ornoski (Phoenix), who are all returning Hardwood Heroes players from the 2016 or 2017 teams.

Team Ryan consisted of all new Hardwood Heroes players, including Deondre Logan (San Antonio), Hunter LaFave (Austin), Jacquelyn Harvey (Austin), Emilio Semas (Austin), Mark Moll (Boulder, CO), Krystal Lucero (Austin) and Paul Nelson (Austin).

In support of this initiative, Turner Sports captured footage at the Hardwood Heroes team practices and game. Highlights will air during the Bridge Show between the two Final Four semifinal games on Saturday, March 31, and during the pre-game show prior to tip-off on Championship Monday on CBS.

Learn more about the Hardwood Heroes players and INFINITI's support in the fight against cancer at www.infinitiusa.com/hardwood-heroes.

About INFINITI

INFINITI Motor Company Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with representations in 50 markets around the world. The INFINITI brand was launched in 1989. Its range of premium automobiles is currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan, the United States, United Kingdom and China. INFINITI design studios are located in Atsugi-Shi (near Yokohama), London, San Diego and Beijing. INFINITI is in the middle of a major product offensive. The brand has been widely acclaimed for its daring design and innovative driver-assistance technologies. From the 2016 season, INFINITI is a technical partner of the Renault Sport Formula One team, contributing its expertise in hybrid performance.

More information about INFINITI and its industry-leading technologies can be found at www.infiniti.com. You can also follow INFINITI on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.

About the National Association of Basketball Coaches

Located in Kansas City, MO, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.com.

About the NCAA

The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for nearly half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year. Visit ncaa.org and ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola as official corporate champions and the following elite companies as official corporate partners: Buffalo Wild Wings, Buick, Enterprise, Google Cloud, Indeed, INFINITI, Intel, Lowe's, Marriott International, Nabisco, Northwestern Mutual, Pizza Hut, Reese's, Unilever and Wendy's.

About Coaches vs. Cancer

Coaches vs. Cancer is a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) that empowers coaches, their teams, and communities to join in saving more lives. The program leverages the personal experiences, community leadership, and professional excellence of basketball coaches nationwide to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fundraising activities, and advocacy programs. For more information on the Coaches vs. Cancer program, visit coachesvscancer.org.

Photo credit: Infiniti
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