736th AMXS nips 512th AW in OT

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Chuck Walker
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Never giving up in spite of the deficit is a common teaching in athletics and something the 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron brought to life in its intramural basketball game with the 512th Airlift Wing on Monday night.

Trailing by 10 points with less than 10 minutes left in the second half, the 736th AMXS tied the game to send it to overtime and then came away with a 58-55 victory Jan. 7, 2013, at the fitness center at Dover Air Force Base, Del.

Player-coach Duncan Willie led the 736th AMXS scoring 17 points, while Johnnie Murphy added 10, as they pushed their record to 2-2 on the season with the win.

"I feel like we played a good game," Willie said. "It's hard to get chemistry when you don't get to practice. It was great to be able to pull out a win like that."

After the 512th AW tied the game at 18-18 late in the first half, the 736th AMXS ended the first half on a 7-2 run to take a 25-20 lead into halftime.

In the second half the 512th AW looked as though it was going to run away with the game as it got four consecutive three-point shots, two by Hakim Tutt and two by Joshua Fernandez as the 512th AW opened up a 46-36 lead.

Trailing 51-43, the 736th AMXS ended the game on an 8-0 run, getting two fast-break layups from John Hauer and two free throws from Aaron Williams to tie the game at 51-51 and send the game into overtime.

Murphy iced the game for the 736th AMXS hitting two clutch free throws with 19 seconds left in overtime. The 512th AW had three chances at three-point shots to tie the game, but each shot hit nothing but iron, as the 736th AMXS walked away with the close victory.

Tutt led the 512th AW scoring a game-high 19 points and Fernandez added 17 as the 512th AW fell to 2-2 on the season with the loss.

Player-coach Desi Downey said the 512th AW had some costly turnovers down the stretch that cost them the lead and the victory.

"I thought it was a really good, close game all the way through," Downey said. "We had a few silly plays, costly turnovers that gave away the edge we had. We need to work on better ball control and better teamwork."

Willie said the 736th AMXS will try to capitalize and build off its hard-fought victory.

"We got a little cocky when we went up by 5 at halftime," Willie said. "It's not about how much talent you have, when you make bad decisions you can allow the other team to comeback. We need to learn to play together. We need to try to take the momentum from this game into the first half of our next game."