U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --
Two teams from the 10th Medical Group competed for the intramural championship title Feb. 23 with Hospital No. 2 defeating Hospital No. 1 with a final score of the first game 47-43.
The teams played a second game to determine the champion because it was a double elimination tournament and Hospital No. 1 was undefeated. Hospital No. 2 took down the two-time reigning champions in the finale with a score of 33-18.
In the first game, Hospital No. 1 held a one-point lead at halftime, 22-21, but Hospital No. 2 started the second half 13-2 and took their lead to 34-24, with baskets from Kenneth Mears, Scott Schmidt and Carlos Gonzalez.
George Harmes, Hospital No. 1, scored six points inside; reducing the lead to 37- 30 before his team went on a 10-2 run to grab a 40-39 lead.
With less than two minutes on the clock, baskets from Mears and Rowel Rivera, Hospital No. 2, took the score to 44-40.
After a break, the teams played a reduced game of two 15 minute halves to determine the championship.
Hospital No. 2 held an 8-6 lead and went on a 10-2 run. Mears scored four points and Jason Anderson added three free throws for a half-time score of 18-8.
Coach Ken Bellard had Hspital No. 2 play a slowdown game to start the second half, but Hospital No. 1 went on a 5-0 run, cutting the point deficit to five at 18-13. Hospital No. 2 scored with less than five minutes on the clock and Rivera made one of two free throws. Hospital No. 1 began to foul in the hopes Hospital No. 2 would miss their free throws.
Hospital No. 1 couldn’t close the gap, and Hospital No. 2 went on 11- 3 run, extending their lead to 30-16.
Dylan Sisneros scored Hospital No. 1’s final points on a lay-up, but Gonzalez sank three of four free throws. Mears finished the game with 11 points; Justin Anderson with nine points; and Sisneros had six points.
Hospital No. 1 finished the season 13-1; Hospital No. 2 finished 11-3. Both were the regular season’s top-two teams.
“Trust the process and our team motto: ‘One, two, three – trust! Four, five, six – family!’” Bellard said. “The slowdown worked toward our advantage because we’re a taller team. That’s why I went to that strategy. With an early lead in the final game, Hospital No. 1 scored most of their points on fast breaks and three pointers. The slowdown process discouraged them because they would take quick shots and we would slow the game down and make free throws.”