FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Excitement is alive and well during the 2017 Fort Rucker Intramural Basketball Season.
The Headquarters Headquarters Company, 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group Warhawks took on the A Company, 1st Battalion, 145th Aviation Regiment Heat Check, during a game that seemed to have the latter as the clear-cut winners throughout most of the game, but the Warhawks proved that it's not over until it's over, as they were able to come back in the final minutes to win the game, 53-48.
"We were trying to figure out our game plan early on," said Sgt. Erik Owens, coach for the Warhawks. "We tried a 2-1-2 [strategy], but it didn't work and it gave the other team the jump on us because we tried something we've never done before. But once we figured out it wasn't working, we went back to our old game plan, rotated players in and out, got some good wind in and picked it back up from there."
The game started out in the Warhawks favor as they gained possession at the tipoff, but failed to score and Heat Check took possession.
The 1-145th started off strong with their first possession and managed to score the first points of the game, giving them a lead they would hold for the majority of the game.
Both teams came out with a strong game plan with strong offenses, but the Warhawk's defense seemed to falter early on, allowing Heat Check to pull away, sinking three-pointers to pull a more than 10-point lead just minutes in.
The 164th TAOG wasn't giving up, though, and managed to close the scoring gap to trail their opponents, but Heat Check re-upped their offense to regain a comfortable 10-point lead with only minutes remaining in the half.
The Warhawks weren't completely out of it and they managed to close the gap to trail by only 4 points as the half ended, but it was obvious they needed to switch up their strategy to get back in the game, and that's just what they did.
As the second half started, Heat Check had possession to start, but the Warhawks would be the first to score in the half as they caught their second wind.
The 164th TAOG managed to tie the score, 28-28, just minutes into the half, but Heat Check wasn't giving up the lead so easily and managed to pull away once again with two 3-point shots to retake the lead.
The 1-145th held onto their lead throughout most of the half but the Warhawks stayed close, determined to come from behind and get in the lead.
The 164th TAOG managed to pick up their offense and a string of fouls against the 1-145th allowed the Warhawks to trail by only one point, which in turn followed by a layup allowed them to take the lead for the first time in the game.
Heat Wave's defense began to falter as the 164th TAOG managed to sink a string of shots, and more free throws allowed them to pull away from their opponents.
As the Warhawks stepped up their game, the 1-145th team wasn't giving up as they kept fighting to try to retake the lead, trailing by only one point with only one minute remaining.
It was anybody's game in the final seconds, but it was a missed shot by Heat Wave followed by a foul that sealed the win for the 164th TAOG, 53-48.
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