MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- From the opening tip to the final buzzer, it was an uphill battle for both the Untouchables and Hand Selected. The Untouchables pulled off a hard-earned finish after a rough start, beating Hand Selected 45-37 at IronWorks Gym here Monday.
The Untouchables, with a record of 9-1, entered Monday night’s game knowing they had to win to earn the number one seed in the playoffs.
Untouchables coach Anthony Alexander said, “We needed to play 40 minutes of defensive basketball and focus on fundamentals as a team.”
Hand Selected jumped to a nine-point lead early in the first half, leading 12-3 with 13:16 left on the clock.
However, the Untouchables bounced back after a time out with 8:26 left in the half and evened the score at 17-17 in the closing minutes.
By the end of the first half, it was clear that the Untouchables had found their rhythm and were not going down without a fight.
They took the lead with 14.5 seconds left and held onto it to end the half, 26-23.
After a much needed break during half time, both teams got back on the court to finish what was developing into a great game.
The Untouchables came off the bench with much more intensity than they had in the first half, scoring the first points and extending their lead, 32-25.
Hand Selected forward Jason Scott answered the Untouchables opening points with his own. Although he was fouled, it brought Hand Selected to within a one-point reach with 11:16 left in the game and the score 32-31.
The Untouchables again extended their lead after a few missed attempts by Hand Selected and their lazy defense.
The Untouchables took advantage with quick breaks down court and kept bodies on Hand Selected’s big men, said Alexander.
With the score getting nearly out of reach and the time running out, Hand Selected started to get more aggressive and ended up fouling more than they wanted to.
“We were winded at the end and started to get into foul trouble,” Scott said.
With one minute left in the game, the Untouchables were up 45-35, but Hand Selected never gave up.
They kept attempting last-minute shots and came out with two more points, ending the game on the losing end of a 45-37 defeat and an 8-2 record.
“We need to work on controlling the tempo for 40 minutes and get better each game. Now we just sit and wait for the playoffs,” Scott said after the game.