FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Rage, a team of civilians, used a swarming defense and tough inside play to defeat Old Skool 12-5 in the post's first African-American/Black History Month 3-on-3 basketball tournament Saturday.
The teams battled in two different championship games in the double-elimination tournament as Old Skool, representing 1st Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment, defeated Rage 12-9 in the first game.
Rage led that contest 7-0, but Old Skool mounted a furious rally behind several treys from Chuck Barrier and L. B. Miller in the contests where baskets counted one point less than in normal basketball games.
"The game we lost, it was a lack of defense," said Rage post presence DeMorris Kilow.
In the championship game, the defense kicked into high gear after Rage fell behind 2-0. Rage scored the next 10 points, many from Kilow inside.
"We just stepped up our defense," Kilow said.
Back-to-back baskets from Robert Williams and Barrier brought the score to 10-5, but Kilow notched two layups to finish the final contest.
Hube Agard, Rage head coach, accredited his team's success in the tournament to chemistry.
"We're a bunch of high school buddies. It's just having fun and playing with people you know," he said.
The tournament is one of a few events Fort Rucker officials host in support of February's African-American/Black History Month.
"I decided to have this to have more activities for different Soldiers, to provide a different variety of events," said Anthony Crawford, tournament organizer and a B Company, 1st Battalion, 145th Aviation Regiment Soldier. Crawford noted the tournament supported African-American/Black History Month by uniting different races on the basketball court.
Williams agreed with Crawford.
"We had a chance to play with different races, (to) bring us together and chat," he said, noting he would love to participate in another African-American/Black History 3-on-3 basketball tournament.
Agard also wants another chance to play.
"They'll probably have another one next year, and we'll come out and try to defend our title," he said.
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