MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. -- Another night of basketball action lit up the West Gym Feb. 27 as the Commanding General’s Intramural Basketball League continued.
Headquarters Battalion Team 1 lost the first game of the night against 1st Tank Battalion 61-55.
Headquarters Battalion 1 took the lead early in the game and held it for most of the first half. Towards the end of the half, Tanks took the lead and sustained a point-for-point game to finish the first half 27-23.
Late in the second half, Headquarters Battalion 1 came close to taking the lead 51-50.
“I thought we could do it, but we missed several shots,” said Lance Raymond, Headquarters Battalion 1 coach.
They continually struggled to reclaim the lead but Tanks strong-armed the rest of the game to finish 61-55.
Headquarters Battalion Team 2 faced defeat in the second game of the night against Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School Team 1, 67-38.
Headquarters Battalion 2 took the lead early in the game and held it for 10 minutes.
Shortly after, MCCES 1 solidified their strategy and relentlessly pounded Headquarters Battalion 2 to finish the half 36-15.
“The league and the championship is ours,” said Jerome Hawkins, MCCES 1 coach. “Talent-wise, we are the best team on the base. If you want to be the best, be MCCES.”
MCCES 1 continued raining fire throughout the rest of the game to finish 67-38.
“We started the season terrible but want teams to know MCCES will have something to bring to the playoffs,” said Jerry Anderson, member of MCCES 1.
Anderson said the game is not about crushing every opponent, but more about enjoying the game and having respect for the game.
“It was rebounding that won the game,” he said. “We play our game with respect. We’re trying to build a respectful game because we want respect.”
On Jan. 30, Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital dealt a crucial defeat to Tanks. In the last game of the night, Tanks returned to battle Naval Hospital again — this time crushing Naval Hospital’s defense to take the win 54-37.
With the season ending soon, coaches have little time to formulate their game plan before teams step onto the court for the playoffs.