Eglin, Hurlburt rivalry ignites in B-ball battle

  • Published
  • By Stuart Camp

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Hurlburt Field cagers knocked down 16 free throws in the fourth quarter Jan. 10 to top Eglin 76-68 in men’s basketball action in Aderholt Fitness Center.

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The Gulf Coast rivalry game tipped off a weekend tournament where four military squads clashed, including teams from Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Scott AFB, Illinois. The loss was Eglin’s only blemish in a three-game Military Basketball Association round-robin schedule.

In their remaining games Jan. 11, Eglin crushed Fort Knox 93-66. A balanced attack fueled the tally – 12 players scored with Terrance Bryant with a team-high 14 points. About two hours later, Eglin clashed, and prevailed 80-75, against Scott. Four players scored in double-figures.

However, Friday night was a heartbreaker. Eglin opened with a 7-0 streak, as Hurlburt’s shooting was as frigid as the gymnasium temperature. And – despite the momentum swings – the visiting team walked into halftime with a seven-point spread: 34-27.

“In the first half, we were trying to get the ball out of (the Hurlburt guard’s) hands. He was passing to his teammates, and they were missing shots. In the second half they started making them,” Eglin guard Brian Matthews said. Matthews had 12 points in the first half but tallied just two in the second. “They were collapsing more, and I had to drive and kick more because they were denying me from getting to the rim.”

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Eglin held the lead for nearly three quarters. A Hurlburt guard sank a jumper from the free-throw line with 49 seconds left in the third quarter for Hurlburt’s first lead, 48-47. From there until the final two minutes, the largest lead either team enjoyed was three points.

“We fouled too much, and they hit their free throws,” said Raekwon Cuspert, Eglin player/coach. “We got rattled when they got on their run. In the first half, we were playing our pace. But in the second half, we played at their pace. Once they sped us up, it turned into a back-and-forth game.”

Eglin’s primary guard rotation each carried four fouls, handcuffing their aggression down the stretch. In attempt to claw back inside the last 90 seconds, Eglin fouled to stop the clock and pressure Hurlburt’s free-throw shooting. The plan didn’t pan out. Hurlburt converted on all 16 shots from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter – knocking down 25 of 31 for the game.

“In the second half, we started applying pressure, getting turnovers and fast-break layups,” said Hurlburt’s leading scorer, who had 26 in the game. “I really wasn’t being as aggressive in the first half. I was getting to my spots (in the second half) and knocking it down.”

“I just had to wake my guys up,” said Hurlburt’s head coach. “We had to be the more physical, smarter, and faster team. We just had to be better in the second half. I took us out of zone (defense) and into man, so we could be more physical and scrappy. And that sped us up, caused (Eglin) turnovers.”

Eglin enjoyed a distinct advantage in the paint with Caleb Highley clogging up the middle on both ends. However, shots just weren’t falling, and he ended the night with 12 points, a boatload of rebounds and a handful of blocks. Two others scored in double figures for Eglin.