MCRD San Diego -- The second day of the Commanding General’s Cup basketball
tournament continued at the depot’s Field House with a close-call victory by Recruit Training Regiment’s 1st Battalion over the depot’s Color Guard team.
During the first half, the teams seemed evenly matched with neither team allowing more than a four-point distance in scores.
In the second half, the Color Guard team came out of the gate scoring three unanswered field-goals. 1st Bn. drew a foul for a few more shooting opportunities to tie the game 26-26.
The Color Guard retaliated with a three-pointer to set the score at 29-26. 1st Bn. played with good ball rotation between team members and they were making good steals, but they were unable to make any baskets during a three-minute slump.
"We kept letting them stay in the game with our turnovers
and missed shots," said Staff Sgt. Dawud Hakim, power forward, 1st Bn. "There was a point when I was worried."
1st Bn. was finally able to break their bad luck when they scored a field-goal making the score 30-28. The Color Guard capitalized on several steals after 1st Bn. broke their no-shot streak, but was unable to finish the shots.
With nine minutes left, 1st Bn. scored two free throws to come up two points behind. They played good defense and tied the game at 30 with 8:36:06 left the Color Guard and 1st Bn. went shot for shot until 1st Bn. was able to draw a foul to come two points ahead. The Color Guard had two chances to tie, but were unable, losing
40-38.
According to the CG’s Cup sports coordinator, Rachel Dickinson, the base RTR’s
1st Bn. ranked behind Coast Guard in CG’s Cup basketball ketball season is going very well and the program has only had one team drop out of the season.
"A lot of people are coming out to participate which is great," said Dickinson.
The basketball season is broken into two divisions. The first division is being led by the Coast Guard’s Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team followed by 1st Bn. and the Color Guard. In the second division, 12th Marine Corps Division leads followed by the Coast Guard’s Maritime Safety and Security Team and the Consolidated Personnel Administration Center.
Headquarters and Service Bn. currently leads the CG’s Cup standing with 157 points, trailed by RTR with 156 points. The Coast Guard is in third with 109.
For more information about CG’s Cup sports, call Rachel Dickinson at (619) 524-0548.