MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. - TBS Ordnance and CI Weapons faced off in an intramural basketball game that came down to one final shot at Barber Physical Activity Center on March 4.
It was an exciting game between two teams who were initially playing shorthanded. Ordnance only had six players while Weapons started the game with five. Reinforcements arrived late for Weapons and their fresh legs helped them hang on for a 53-52 victory.
The first half was a high-paced affair as both teams executed their offense so well that defense became an afterthought. Two players in particular, went shot for shot for much of the first half. Steven Scheutzow, forward for Weapons, had 14 points for his team as he drained four wide-open three-point shots and sliced through the defense for a layup as well.
On the other end Martin Fuller, guard for Ordnance, repeatedly blew past Weapons defenders to finish the first half with 17 points.
At halftime, Weapons was clinging to a 31-30 lead and it became a question of who would stop their opponent’s best shooter to seal the victory.
“We need to close out on their shooters,” Fuller told his teammates at halftime. “We’re not tall, so we’re not going to block their shots, but we need to close out with our hands up.”
Luckily for Weapons the rest of their team showed up and they were able to rotate fresh defenders onto Fuller. Being able to somewhat contain their opponents best player kept Weapons in control of the game as they weathered their own offensive dry spell.
The offensive firepower of the first half was absent as a renewed defensive focus by both teams resulted in stagnant offense. Baskets were hard to come by and the two teams traded possessions.
Still the game came down to one final opportunity for Ordnance as Fuller got the ball with 7 seconds left and raced past the defense to throw up a prayer. His shot just barely missed, sending groans through the gym and elation from the Weapons bench as they hung on for the 53-52 victory.