MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Intramural league basketball teams battled it out for the Martin Luther King Jr. "Make Real the Dream" tournament Friday and Saturday at the IronWorks Gym.
The tournament was to commemorate the memory and dream of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Ten teams, including Crash Crew, ISMO, Road Warriors, Ready Group, Islanders, Squires, And One, Dragons, Supply and Dynasty participated in the tournament.
All teams met Friday night to determine who was going to play on Saturday's championship game, said Keith Carr, Dynasty team player.
The first two teams that sprang into action were ISMO against the Road Warriors; Friday at 6 p.m. ISMO crushed the Road Warriors, 47 to 28. ISMO advanced to play against And One.
In the second game, the Squires defeated the Islanders, 57 to 40, advancing them to go up against Dynasty.
In the semifinals games Saturday, Crash Crew went up against Supply Friday night at 8 p.m. Although they put up a valiant effort, Crash Crew was defeated 67 to 50. And One squared off against ISMO and defeated them, 40 to 35. Ready defeated the Dragons, 51 to 41. Dynasty hammered the Squires, 55 to 3.
In the final four games, Ready was conquered by the undefeated Dynasty, and Supply's team was the victor over And One, 45 to 38.
The championship match was between the two best teams in the league: H&HS Dynasty vs. MALS-12 Supply.
The two teams had recently played each other in the intramural league, Feb. 3, with Dynasty coming out on top. The same outcome appeared at the MLK Championship with Dynasty winning, 69 to 43.
"I wasn't surprised," said Roderick Haynes, Dynasty coach about the win over Supply.
At the first half the score was real close, 28 to 23, and Dynasty wasn't "focused." It seemed as
if the team "didn't have their heads in the game," thought Haynes. "I took my team to the sidelines and talked to them. They got their focus back. But through it all I wasn't worried. We had a whole other half to play."
The highlight of the tournament was Dynasty's Lee A. Woodbridge as he was awarded as the most valuable player.
"He's an awesome player and a great athlete. He knows how to play both sides of the basketball court, offense and defense. He truly does deserve it," mentioned Haynes about his most valuable player who scored 15 points, the most, in the championship game.
"It's a team effort," said a modest Woodbridge, regarding his award. "It isn't about individualism. It is a team effort. These are the best ballers that I've ever played with."