CAMP PENDELTON, California –
As the 2026 Armed Forces Sports Basketball Championship concluded, the champions had been crowned. The U.S. Air Force women’s team soared to victory with an undefeated streak, claiming their third consecutive title. On the men's side, the U.S. Army team fought fiercely, pushing their game into overtime to reclaim their place at the top, making it their first championship win since 2022.
As championship day went underway, in a dominant performance, the women’s Air Force team claimed first place with a decisive 73-52 victory over the Army, earning the top spot on the podium while the Army team finished in second place. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Shaque Wade was vital to her team's win, scoring 17 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and making four assists. Her three steals disrupted the opposition and sparked fast breaks, showing her all around leadership and crucial contribution to the victory.
Alexis Perez, an NCAA women’s basketball referee reflected on the camaraderie seen among the players in the service, noting their dedication and teamwork, saying, “ I enjoyed seeing the service camaraderie with all the individual players, it was just great to see how they got together and played throughout this weekend, as if they were a team playing and practicing for months before the big game.”
With just one game left to close the day, Petty Officer 2nd Class Jordon Owens of the men’s Navy team stepped up during a crucial free throw, with just 1.3 seconds remaining in the game, tying the game at 66-66 and forcing overtime.
The teams battled fiercely, point-for-point, until the very end when U.S. Army Sgt. Jaquan Wooten secured the win with an impressive slam dunk with just four seconds left on the clock, leaving the final score at 72-70 and claiming first place in the championship while the Navy team took silver.
The crowd erupted in electrifying cheers as the sound of the last buzzer filled the room, celebrating the intense and hard fought victory. The crowd's energy reached its peak, leaving an unforgettable memory of Wooten's final slam dunk which sealed the win, leaving fans on their feet in awe.
Michael Sebaaly, the Marine Corps sports and recreation program manager, shared a few words saying, “It's really great to see all of this come together for all of our service members across, and it's a testament to the work of Camp Pendleton to put this event on,” he went on to say, “From volunteers that the command brought and to the officials, there’s all lot of moving parts; and it's just great that this was a great event, eight teams, four men's and four women's teams got to participate and represent their services with pride and come together.”
To close the 2026 Armed Forces Sports Basketball Championship, Col. Kwabena Gyimah, the Commanding Officer of the Marine Corps Installation West Headquarters and Support BN, took a moment during the closing ceremony to proudly honor and recognize the outstanding women selected for the 2026 CISM Women's Basketball Championship, as well as the men chosen for the CISM Men's Basketball Championship.
These athletes have been carefully chosen by a committee of coaches and service representatives to represent the best players, by position. The women are now preparing to compete on the international stage, while the men are awaiting a potential opening to participate in the CISM Games in Bourges, France.
Congratulations to all the players, staff, and volunteers whose hard work and dedication made this championship a memorable success, here’s to building on this achievement as we look forward to the next Armed Forces Sports Basketball Championship and the exciting opportunities it will bring.