FORT BENNING, Ga., (Jan. 14, 2015) -- After an intense game sent into triple overtime, the 98th Training Division pulled out a 63-57 win over the Directorate of Training during an intramural basketball game Jan. 7 at Smith Fitness Center.
With 30 seconds remaining in regulation play, a free throw by 98th's Marvin Chestnut's sent the game into overtime.
The first overtime opened up with points by DoT and ended with 98th's Ronnie Starling sending the teams into double overtime following his basket off an offensive rebound.
Tied at 51-51, each team scored six points in the second overtime to send the game into a third overtime tied at 57-57 before the 98th put the game away by scoring six points and holding DoT scoreless to win the game 63-57.
Gary French, 98th's head coach, said the overtimes were exhausting.
"I'm glad we pulled it out," he said. "I was just hoping everything went our way, which it did, so I'm happy with that."
Scott Krasko, DoT's head coach, said DoT's energy, intensity, not quitting and hanging together is what kept them in the game.
"We just wanted to be aggressive," he said. "We are not the best players, but we play well together and nobody quits."
He said the overtime was surprising, but the physicality of the game was what played to their strengths of outworking and not being afraid of contact.
"I don't think any of us had ever been in any sort of triple overtime game, let alone an intramural game," Krasko said. "It was just two aggressive teams, battling."
He said overall it was a great game and hopes the two teams get to play each other again.
"Everyone is pumped up for the rest of the season now," he said.
Regulation play was just as contested as the three overtimes.
The game opened up with 98th putting up two 3-pointers before the cycle of fouls and free throws became a constant rhythm throughout the game.
The 98th shot 52 percent from the free-throw line while DoT averaged 66 percent.
"(DoT) shot really good free throws," French said. "That's the best I've seen in a long time."
With nearly six minutes left in the first half, the 98th went on a nine-point scoring run and ultimately ended the half with the 98th leading 31-22.
In the second half, the 98th came out scoring the first two buckets again, this time with two 2-pointers, extending their lead to 35-22.
French said the lack of 3-pointers came from fatigue.
"It you don't have the wind or the legs to shoot the three's, you are going to try to get what you can get," he said.
DoT got back in the game midway through the second half with two consecutive nine-point runs, five of which were free throws and seven points scored by their lead scorer Brett Wright, who had a game-high 23 points.
DoT took the lead 42-39, but ultimately lost the advantage and failed to capitalize in three overtimes, losing to the 98th, 63-57.
Krasko said he felt if his team kept getting the easy buckets, good things would happen for them.
98th's lead scorer Victor Parish had a team-high 18 points, with most of his points coming under the pressure of playing in three overtimes.
French said the team went into redemption mode this game following a loss the previous night and Krasko said DoT was redeeming themselves from the preseason.
"We had to come together and ... be on the same sheet of music," French said. "We had a point to prove (and the players had) a 'want to win attitude.'"
French said 98th's game plan was to put man-to-man pressure on DoT and try to make them turn the ball over.
He said 98th moved the ball well and them taking the ball to the basket was a key point.
DoT 57, 98th, 63
DoT (57)
Wright (23), Krasko (20), Serafini (5), Wohlschlegel (5), Mufalli (2), Park (2)
98th (63)
Parish (18), Atkinson (15), Turner (9), Starling (9), Raines (5), Pearsall (3), Rejos (2), Chestnut (2)
Social Sharing