QUANTICO, Va. (Army News Service, June 22, 2015) -- The Army wheelchair basketball team dominated the United Kingdom for most of its first playoff game, winning 36-31, here at Barber Gym, June 21.
Nicholas Titman, of Fort Carson, Colorado, was Army's leading scorer, contributing 16 points. Second was Jasmine Perry with 8, followed by Alexander Shaw with 6, Dustin Barr with 4 and Blake Johnson with 2.
This was the second Army victory over the U.K.; the first in a 31-23 game June 20, during the seed rounds between those teams and Navy, Marines, Air Force and Special Operations. Army finished that preliminary round in fourth seed. Incidentally, Barr and Shaw were the lead scorers for that first game against the U.K., each with 10 points apiece.
The June 21 win sent Army into the semifinal round, where the Soldiers will face the Marines, June 22. The winner will advance to the championship game, set for June 23.
FIRST HALF
During the first 20-minute half of the June 21 game, Army dominated, scoring 16 points to U.K.'s 7.
U.K.'s Adam Nixon, however, put the first score on the board, earning 1 point in a foul shot within the first few minutes. Nixon, along with U.K.'s Gaz Golightly, were U.K.'s top scorers for the game, each with 10 points.
After that short burst of excitement for the U.K., they had trouble scoring. It wasn't for lack of effort, however. U.K. often outmaneuvered Army on the court, but failed time after time to net, even in good position near the basket.
Army, on the other hand, hit baskets with devastating accuracy. However, neither team was able to hit 3-pointers from outside the paint.
As Army edged up to 16 points at the half to U.K.'s 7, the game appeared a foregone conclusion. Army had piled up 9 fouls in the half, however, to U.K.'s 4. Those fouls would play a role in the second half.
SECOND HALF
The first part of the second half had Army continuing to score, at one point widening the lead 24-7.
Then, about 7 minutes into the second half, things started to unravel for Army. It seemed as if a brake had been applied to all of their wheelchairs and they'd lost their drive.
Even though the U.K. still had trouble scoring, some balls inevitably found their marks. Army ran wheelchairs into its own defensive screen at times. Up and up went U.K.'s score, from 7 all the way to 21, while Army was stuck in neutral at 24.
The lights seemed to go on in the U.K. players' heads as a possible comeback loomed. Then Army called for a timeout.
Head coach Rod Williams and his assistant Lee Montgomery didn't mince words, urging players to find openings, pass the ball and not let the pressure up.
The Army players reciprocated. The machine went back into gear and the brakes were lifted on their wheelchairs as they engaged.
Titman led the charge, scoring 12 of his 16-point total within the last 13 minutes of the second half.
Despite this, the U.K. was unrelenting, continuing its effective ground offense and defense, but failing time and again to get the ball into the hoop.
Army continued to rack up fouls, 10 in the second half, but the U.K. almost matched them now with 9 as both teams were called out for holding and ramming. Some of the collisions were so violent wheels went flying and chairs landed atop the athletes, much to the consternation of the fans.
But each time, overturned players from both sides righted themselves, replaced wheels, and were back in the game, with no apparent injuries.
Despite Army's burst of energy, the U.K. managed to climb to a respectable 31 points to Army's 36.
ASSESSMENTS
Following the game, Williams explained what happened during the first 7 minutes of the second half when Army stalled:
"I think they got a little tired," he said. "They haven't been used to playing a full-regulation game. We've had 20-minute running clocks on the previous games.
"And," he continued, "with the foul situation, they just kind of got a little tense and not running their sets the way they're supposed to. So, I think they just lost their concentration for a few minutes and the coaches brought them back and got them refocused in the game and they seemed to respond."
"Tomorrow we're going to win. We're going to give it our all. We're coming with our A-game tomorrow," he said.
Army will definitely need that since they fell to the Marines 52-30 in the preliminary round, June 20, also losing to Navy and Air Force, but beating the U.K. and Special Operations. Besides that, the Marines command an at-home advantage.
Other Army players in the June 21 game not already mentioned were: Terry Cartwright, Sydney Davis, Joshua Wirth, Sean Timmins and Chris Parks.
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