Base leadership clash in dual B-ball games

  • Published
  • By Kevin Gaddie
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AFB --  Eglin's intramural basketball season kicked off Nov. 8 with a doubleheader of familiar match-ups between officer and enlisted personnel.

The afternoon began with the first-ever Commanders versus Shirts game. The Commanders controlled the game from the opening tip and stayed out in front the entire game. Their patient ball movement allowed wide open players to sink many uncontested, flat-footed shots from all over the court. Their consistent defensive press also made for easy rebounds under the Shirts' rim.

Three "CC" players ended with double-digits. Team captain Dave Meissen led all scorers with 14 points, followed by Mike Miles with 12 and Tim Welde with 11 in the 44-25 one-sided rout.

"They just outclassed us," said Robert Proctor, 96th Communications Squadron first sergeant. "They've played together before, they kept the ball moving and kept us running around. We were just kind of lost out there, and we couldn't find our rhythm."

"Next time, hopefully, we'll have some taller first sergeants," he laughed. "We were a little small out there."

Meissen was humble in victory and complimentary of his team. "We won with teamwork, a little bit of luck and little bit of skill," he said. "The whole team contributed to our win today."

Good hustle and key offensive and defensive stops resulted in a low-scoring first half in the Eagles versus the Chiefs game. Both squads struggled to put points on the board through most of the opening three minutes, until Eagles team captain Sal Nodjomian broke it open with a strong drive to the hole for the first two points.

Almost three minutes later, Chiefs team captain Donnie Morris answered, finding his downtown groove by draining a three-pointer from the right side. Morris scored all of the Eagles' six first-half points, and gave an inspired three-point conversion clinic at the foul line that put the Chiefs ahead 6-5 at halftime.

Morris asked his Chiefs to make some adjustments and post better numbers in the second 20 minutes.

"It's been a little rough so far," he said. "We just have to make more shots in the second half."

The Eagles' pre-game strategy worked according to plan, said Nodjomian, who with Marc Piccolo, co-led the Eagles with two points each at the half.

"We're playing great on the defensive end of the court," he said. "We've got a great pack-in defense, we've siphoned all five of our guys inside the box, and we're going to make them beat us from outside. We're going to drive to the hole and score some points, or get fouled trying."

The second half saw more of the same step-for-step offensive and defensive standoff play from both teams. The teams tied at 15-all at 8:55 to go and deadlocked again at 17 with 7:15 on the clock, and held each other off through sheer will.

Competition heated up inside the final two minutes with Nodjomian hitting a two-pointer, and Morris answering with his third three-point shot of the half to put the Chiefs ahead, 20-19.

The Eagles had a final look at snatching a buzzer-beating victory at their end of the court with 10 seconds left, but a clutch defensive steal by Marc Anderson sealed the win for the Chiefs.

Morris out paced all scorers with 15 points. Nodjomian led the Eagles with 10 points, followed by Mike Guidry with six.

"We made a few more shots than we did in the first half, and that's what it amounted to," said Morris, 46 AMXS, of his team's performance. "We played some good defense. But making shots is the name of the game."

At the trophy presentations, Nodjomian, the base commander, congratulated the Chiefs and thanked the crowd for their support.

"There was great competition in both games," he said. "The officers took the first one with the Commanders versus the First Sergeants, and the enlisted took the second with the Chiefs versus the Eagles, so it was a nice balance. This is all about coming out and having a good time. There's great camaraderie all around, and you can't beat that."