MDG team takes all in B-ball championship

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Devante Williams
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The buzzer went off, and the ball swished through the net. MDG defeated CE in a nail-biter 42-40.

Last year, the 56th Medical Group became the winners of the 2014 intramural basketball championship. This time around, they faced the 56th Civil Engineer Squadron Feb. 3, and once again MDG proved to be the best in 2015.

The basketball was thrown into the air for the tip-off, and the game began with high speed intensity on both ends of the court. Both teams were scoring back and forth, but CE was able to take the lead with 12 seconds left on the clock during the first half. MDG had an opportunity to tie the game but failed and CE finished the first half 19-16.

MDG made strategic changes during halftime.

"Our goal was man-on-man defense," said Dylan Vogel, 56th MDG player. "Tight defense was the primary choice for us in order to achieve victory."

As the second half began, MDG tweaked their offense and tied the game 24-24 with 13 minutes to go. Both MDG and CE kept the score close for most of the game, but MDG was losing ground because of foul trouble. With over nine fouls in the second half, CE took the lead, bringing the score to 36-32 with two minutes to go.

MDG wasn't going down without a fight as they battled with everything they had to bring the score to 39-40 with less than two seconds left on the clock. CE inbounded the ball, but it was intercepted by Kyle Smith, 56th MDG. He threw the ball in the air from beyond half court just as time ran out scoring three for the win.

"We came, we played, and we won the championship," Smith said. "We're glad to bring the trophy to MDG."