Brian Randle couldn’t stay in his seat. Chester Frazier got frustrated with his ball handling. And C.J. Jackson wasn’t supposed to be on the court – but he raced out there anyway.

When the varsity men’s and women’s basketball teams normally put on their orange and blue, things look a little different. For one thing, they’re usually pretty good. But the teams learned Wednesday that not all of Champaign’s best basketball happens at Assembly Hall.

Wednesday night was the inaugural Ultimate Basketball Challenge, which split members of the men’s and women’s varsity and men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball teams into two squads for a unique take on the traditional orange-and-blue scrimmage. The orange team defeated the blue squad with a score of 41-34.

“They’re a lot better than I thought they were,” men’s wheelchair team member Steve Serio said of his varsity counterparts. “They had the good fundamental skills of shooting and passing down. But it’s hard to learn to be in a chair and do it. So I was impressed.”

The event was a fundraiser for Coaches vs. Cancer and the wheelchair basketball programs. At least 700 fans filled the main stands at the Huff Gym to see freshman Jamar Smith struggle with his three-point shooting as Chelsea Gordon stole the show – for the “amateurs,” anyway.

Men’s basketball coach Bruce Weber admitted afterward that the wheelchair teams put his players to shame, and couldn’t help measuring his players’ strengths and weaknesses as he signed autographs after the game.

“Obviously when the wheelchair teams came in, they put our guys to shame, but I think our guys had a lot of fun with it,” Weber said. “I’m not sure their speed was very good, but they were a little better posting up inside.”

The game was played in two 20 -minute halves, with a three-point contest serving as halftime entertainment. The varsity team members stood to shoot, and women’s varsity team freshman Laurie Bjork faced men’s wheelchair team senior Josh George in the championship round, and ultimately it was George who was dubbed the “best three-point shooter in the world.”

“I’m not ashamed I lost,” Bjork said. “I was against a good shooter in the finals. It’s tough, they’re much better at this than any of us are. Just because you’re a really good athlete, doesn’t mean you can do anything.

“Today Champaign, tomorrow the world,” George, a Daily Illini columnist, joked after the game.

Plans for the game started last season, but Weber said work began too late and his team was too busy to get the game off the ground. Weber said he anticipates the event will only grow, and that he was happy with the turnout. He said the players had fun, the fans got a good show and the teams learned a little about each other.

“It’s great exposure for the wheelchair teams,” Weber said. “People don’t realize how talented they are.”