9th MXS edges out 48th IS, takes Intramural Basketball Championship

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Robert M. Trujillo
  • 9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs
BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The 9th Maintenance Squadron defeated the 48th Intelligence Squadron 37-34 to take the Intramural Basketball Championship Feb. 22, at the Harris Fitness Center.

"The whole game was a defensive struggle, but we came through in the end," said Airman 1st Class Quameir Harding, 9th MXS player and coach. "The match-up translated to a great game."

Both teams employed defenses which led to a low-scoring game. The 9th MXS utilized a 2-3 zone defense designed for rebounding and limiting low-post play. The 48th IS used a 3-2 zone defense designed to prevent perimeter scoring.

Master Sgt. Kenneth, 48th IS coach said neither team ever took a commanding lead, which was evident by the 15-14 score at the half.

"It was a hard fought match-up," Kenneth said. "We kept it close, which gave us opportunities to win the game."

After a back-and-forth scoring session, the final minutes of the game featured a tied score of 34-34 which led to the possibility of overtime.

"We didn't want to go into overtime; we knew the time to win was now," Harding said.

The defensive stalemate came down to the final eight seconds of regulation when 9th MXS point guard, Airman 1st Class Antonio Coleman, hit a 3-point shot to make it 37-34.

With no timeouts Coleman's 3-pointer proved to be too much for the 48th IS to overcome.

"No matter what the scoreboard says, I'm proud of my team," said Kenneth. "They showed a lot of heart tonight. We just ran out of time."

(Airman 1st Class Bobby Cummings, 9th RW/PA, contributed to this story)