WIESBADEN, Germany -- Many people didn't know what to make of the out-of-cycle basketball game Sept. 6 at the Wiesbaden Fitness Center that pitted Soldiers of U.S. Army Europe units against a roster of pro-bound NCAA players.
In the game billed as the Installation Management Command--Europe Army All-Star Basketball Game, the Soldiers jumped out to a 7-0 lead.
"My fear was that we would be defeated pretty soundly," said Jim Mattingly, IMCOM-E recreation program manager, after the first half of play. "But the first half has been pretty good entertainment."
The team that had been practicing Sundays since the end of July had the U.S. charity basketball team on their heels. The almost-pros were reeling from being in foul trouble early and slightly taken aback by the physical dominance of the Soldiers.
"We took them for granted subconsciously," said Kwan Waller, Kentucky Weslyan alum and Illinois native, commenting on the team's toughness. "They were ready physically. Their physicality was surprising. I don't know if it was the Army or what."
"I give them credit. They came out and played hard," said Desmond Wade, former Fairfield University guard. "Much respect to them."
While it was assumed that the pro-bound players had the upper hand, they had to fight hard to take a six-point lead at the half.
"I love the effort these guys are putting in," said Andre Negron, All-star team assistant coach, during halftime, adding that the second-half strategy was to keep pushing the ball, attack defensively without gambling and to over-whelm their opponent's defense with speed.
Though a hard effort was made, the Soldiers never regained the lead. A scoring drought, file trouble and a longer game format are the suspected cause of why the team fell to the touring former NCAA-tested players.
"This was about the experience for these Soldiers," Theodus Green, All-stars head coach. "They played so had from day one. They really stuck with it. They played with a lot of character and heart."
"I liked the level of play and the skill sets the competitors brought," said Ricardo Wright, Headquarters and Headquarters Service Company, 1st Military Intelligence Battalion, who said it was a fun and eye-opening game. "It gave me an opportunity to work on things I needed, and showed me I have to work more on some fundamentals of this game."
The U.S. charity team was coached by Hans Beth of Neider-Olm, Germany. The player roster was put together after tryouts in Delaware and Arizona. The players are on a European tour showcasing their talents to professional clubs with hopes of securing a spot with a Pro A, Pro B or Bundesliga level team. Additionally, the tour is used as a platform to boost the awareness and support for children with cancer.
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