96 MDG eyes second basketball title

  • Published
  • By Kevin Gaddie
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The 2011 intramural basketball season playoffs began here Jan. 10 with the 96th Medical Group posting a decisive 65-43 win over the 1st Special Operations Maintenance Squadron.

The 96 MDG, seeking a second consecutive intramural basketball title, were seeded number one of the eight teams participating in the double-elimination event. They exerted their will over the fourth-seeded 1 SOMXS from the opening tip, with both excellent ball movement up and down the court and precision shot making from the two and three point ranges.

Consistent defensive pressure from the 96 MDG prevented the 1 SOMXS from establishing any cohesive rhythm, and they found themselves trailing by 19 points with six minutes to go before the end of the first half.

The second half saw the 96 MDG gradually widening their lead to as much as 27 points by the final six minutes of the game, steadily outpacing the 1 SOMXS in the one-sided victory.

The 96 MDG's Wendell Thibeaux led all scorers with 30 points, and went 11-for-14 from the free throw line. Teammates Carlos Rance and Andrew Salas were also in double figures, with 14 and 11 points respectively. Justin Harney and Guy Lampton were the 1 SOXMS' high scorers, notching 13 points each.

William Jackson, the 1 SOMXS team captain, acknowledged a tough evening for his team.

"We did well on transition, but we didn't do well on stopping their rebounds, or their three-point shots," he said. "Overall, we didn't bring it tonight. They out-hustled us and outplayed us. We just have to show up next game, take what we'll learn from this game, and be ready."

For the 96 MDG, it was more of the same execution from a team with a winning formula.

"We had great ball movement, and everyone on this team trusts each other," said Thibeaux. "Our offense starts with good defense, and the defense was working really well tonight."

Salas, who captained the 96 MDG team to a 9-1 regular season record, had one simple phrase in summing up the evening. "Defense wins ball games," he said.

The championship game will be played at the Eglin Fitness Center Jan. 19.