MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The Soldiers edged out the Wolverines 17- 14 in a 13- to 15-year-old youth sports basketball season game at the IronWorks Gym sports courts here Saturday.
The Soldiers won the tip-off, but the Wolverines stole it.
Possession went back and forth several times before James D. Kerr, Soldiers’ center, dropped his guard and allowed Malik Hale, Wolverines’ power forward, to steal the ball and drive down the court for an easy layup to put the first two points on the board.
Hale then deflected a shot by Tenacity L. Clayton, Soldiers’ small forward, into the hands of Tamina L. Croom, Wolverines’ point guard. Despite the good fortune, she couldn’t get the bucket.
With 3:20 left in the first quarter, Hale stole the ball and capitalized with a layup for a 4-0 lead.
“The game was really competitive,” said Zachary Taylor, Soldiers’ point guard. “The teams have been getting better each game.”
The Wolverines and Soldiers seemed stuck in a defensive battle with neither team able to sink a ball.
Len Jon Cadavois, Soldiers’ power forward, was able to put his team on the board with a layup to close the first quarter 4-2.
The Wolverines started the attack at the beginning of the second quarter.
The Soldiers’ defense stole the ball then charged down the court enabling Cadavois to tie it up with a layup.
Kerr stole the ball and was fouled attempting to convert, but couldn’t make his free throws.
The Soldiers took its first lead of the game when Cadavois rebounded the ball and drove back down the court to sink a 3-point shot bringing it to 7-4.
Moments later, Hale made a steal and capitalized with a layup making it 7-6.
The Soldiers fought back with each player covering their opponent.
In the last few seconds of the quarter, Cadavois blocked Crooms’ attempt to take back the lead before the third quarter.
Even though the Wolverines started the third quarter with the ball, the Soldiers’ fullcourt press came through and allowed Taylor to sink back-to-back buckets padding the Soldiers’ lead 11-6.
Hale fired back with two layups, but at the end of the third quarter the Soldiers were still in the lead 13-12.
Both teams pulled no punches during the fourth quarter.
Hale sunk a ball to put the Wolverines back on top, but Cadavois immediately scored back-to-back layups to cement the win for the Soldiers 17-14.
“I think we could have done a better job on defense, but it was a good game,” Kelly Marable, Soldiers’ assistant coach, said. “In the next couple of practices we’re going to start working on defense and rebounds.”
The next few weeks will be busy for the teams with playoffs scheduled through next week and a tournament including Japanese teams scheduled for Sunday.