FORT MOORE, Ga. –
Coming off a Sunday evening loss, Navy men stepped up Monday to defeat Air Force 71-62 in the first game of the day at the Armed Forces Basketball Championship.
“It was very rewarding. We had some new guys step up today, said Navy Coach Micah Bonner.
“I told the guys, the second time around, those guys [on the other side] are going to make their adjustments and they’re going to fight hard,” Bonner said.
Lt. j.g. Tyler Nelson, stationed at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, scored 20 points to lead the Navy.
2nd Lt. Jahmal Lawson, stationed at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, led Air Force with 16 points.
Regarding the Navy loss to the Marine Corps Sunday evening, Bonner said, “They brought the fight to us, and we didn’t take it well.”
The quick turnaround from Sunday night’s game to Monday’s noon start was “pretty difficult; I won’t lie to you,” Bonner said.
“To end the late game with a loss, [then] getting them re-focused, turning the page … they all had a hard time sleeping, including myself,” he said.
Bonner offered props to Seaman Assan Niang, stationed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, who had his first chance to play Monday against Air Force. “I tell my guys, when your time comes be ready for it, and he was.”
In the day’s second game, Air Force women defeated Navy 64-56.
Air Force Coach James Lewis was proud of his team. “We got a little bit of adversity, and we fought through it. It shows the grit of the team. It’s not always going to be easy,” he said.
Key players were Senior Airman Tiaera Phillips, stationed with Atlantic City Air National Guard, and Senior Airman Shaquera Wade, stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base.
“They always lead our team,” Lewis said, playing aggressively but with level heads.
In the second men’s game of the day, Army defeated the Marine Corps 88-75.
Spec Marc Bowie from Fort Moore and Sgt. Akeem Echols, from Fort Cavazos, Texas, each scored nine points to lead Army.
1st Lt. John Carter, from Camp Pendleton, California, led the Corps with 13 points, including nine points from behind the three-point line.
In the night’s final game, Army women defeated the Marine Corps 67-46.
1st Lt. Tatiana Wayne, stationed at Fort Moore, scored 13 points to lead Army.
Staff Sgt. Shelbi Lindsey and 1st Lt. Kaleigh D’Arcy, both from Camp Lejeune, scored 11 points each for the Corps.