Defenders win with homecourt advantage, Camp Arifjan, Team 1 takes the prize in Operation Hardwood IV

Courtesy Photo | Camp Arifjan Garrison Commander, Col. John Alexander, congratulates Camp Arifjan Team 1 Defenders' Coach Sgt. First Class Pernell Mabry after the Defenders captured the Operation Hardwood IV Tournament Title with a 79-74 victory over the Life Support Area Team Sunday.  

06.06.2007

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Central   

By Spc. Wes Landrum
Desert Voice staff writer

KUWAIT—It was standing room only as the Zone One gymnasium at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, played host to the championship game of the Operation Hardwood IV tournament. The game featured the top two teams in the tournament, the Life Support Area versus the Camp Arifjan Team One Defenders. National Guard Staff Sgt. Dexter Ward, from Belzoni, Miss., scored 15 points as the Defenders pulled away late to win 79-74.

"It was a great win for us," Petty Officer 2nd Class Sammy Swancy, Camp Arifjan, said. "We played hard and refused to give up. That's been our motto the whole tournament."

The first half resembled a heavyweight-boxing match. Both teams traded shot for shot. The biggest lead for either team was only four points. However, things changed with five minutes left.

LSA guard and Lansing, Mich., native Spc. Randy Jackson stole an errant pass and raced down the court for a lay-up. Three turnovers later, the score was 28-20 LSA.

The Defenders trimmed the lead to 31-28 on Ward's first three-pointer of the half. However, it seemed the LSA was just too tough. They closed out the final two minutes of the half on a 7-2 run capped off by a half-court shot by Dominic Ubuch to make the halftime lead 38-32 LSA.

"We got to them in the first half," Jackson said. "We put pressure on them and they collapsed."

"We had a great game plan," LSA and Notre Dame Coach Mike Brey said.

"Our goal was to make them beat us from the outside. We put so much pressure on them that they could not get good looks at the basket."

The second half started off much like the first, with one exception. Camp Arifjan was doing the scoring.

The Defenders used a 10-0 run in the opening five minutes of the half to retake the lead 42-38. They never trailed again.

"We wanted to come out strong in the second half and take momentum back," Sgt. Steven Evans, Camp Arifjan, said.

The game went back and forth and was tied at 74 with 45 seconds left. That's when Camp Arifjan's Spc. Charles Kelly, from Houston, got the ball.

Kelly moved out to the three-point line and received the ball. With no one guarding him, Kelly launched a shot. The ball sailed through the basket giving the Defenders a 77-74 lead. Two free throws by Staff Sgt. Julius Gulley gave the Defenders the final margin of victory.

"This team never quit," Defenders and Wake Forest basketball coach Skip Prosser said. "I told them if it was a close game, we would win."

The win capped off a 6-1 record for the Defenders. They lost the first game in pool play to the LSA, 50-47. They never tasted defeat again eventually avenging the loss to the LSA with a 49-45 win in the tournament.

Evans said he hated to lose but was thankful for the early loss.

"We were playing reckless." Evans said. "The loss grounded us and got us focused on the ultimate prize."

Swancy said Prosser's fiery demeanor would not let them lose.

"Coach is a pretty intense guy," Swancy said. "It was like I was playing college ball for him at Wake Forest. I wanted to win so badly for him."

While the 2007 version of Operation Hardwood is in the books, the service members say they will treasure the moments spent with the coaches.

"They treated us like players, not as Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines," Swancy said. "They made the tournament fun."

"Coach Brey told us afterward that he loved us and thanked us for what for a job well done," Jackson said.

Prosser told the capacity crowd after the game that the coaches got as much out of this trip and the players did.

"We have a new perspective of what you guys do," Prosser said. "We will go back and tell the folks back home what a great job you guys are doing over here."

Brey said for so long the service members had the country's back. He said it was time for a change.

"This time, we have your back and I could not be more proud of each and every one of you," Brey said.

• Date Taken: 06.06.2007
• Date Posted: 06.15.2007 14:16
• Story ID: 10841