436th FSS defies the odds in winning base championship

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Chuck Walker
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  When your team starts the season 0-4 and you're sitting with a record of 1-6 with five games to go in the season, the last thing your team is thinking about is making the playoffs, much less winning a championship.

The 436th Force Support Squadron intramural basketball team had to win its last five games in a row to just make the playoffs.

The 436th FSS completed the unthinkable on its two-day journey to the title as they defeated the 436th Maintenance Squadron 48-33 and 49-48 to win the intramural basketball championship out of the loser's bracket Feb. 26 and 27, 2013, at the base fitness center on Dover Air Force Base, Del.

Antwan Piper, 436th FSS player-coach, said his team's journey from last place team to champions was nothing short of remarkable and spoke of his team's commitment.

"When we had a league meeting right before the end of the season, I told everyone that I still feel we are the team to beat, and everyone, all the other coaches, laughed at me," Piper said. "Every other team looked past us and said FSS was an easy win. We had to work to prove to ourselves what we were capable of. The other teams had better individual players, but we have the better team. We proved that tonight."

In game one, the 436th FSS went on an 8-0 run to start the second half taking a 30-21 lead and never looked back as they won forcing the "if" game 48-33. Darrius Long scored 13 points to lead the 436th FSS, while Kenyatta Prince added 11 and Piper scored 10 points to lead the 436th FSS to the game one victory. Wade McNair led the 436th MXS in defeat scoring 13 points.

In game two, the 436th FSS scored nine straight points on three-point baskets taking a 26-24 lead in at halftime.

After a made bucket by Prince, the 436th FSS took what seemed to be an insurmountable 46-41 lead with 1:12 left in the game.

That's when the 436th MXS went to work, coming back to take the lead 48-47 with 12.9 seconds left.

436th FSS forward Timothy Dance hit two free throws with 6.1 seconds left and 436th MXS player-coach Cory Cuadrado's shot missed at the buzzer as the 436th FSS held on for the championship.

Prince scored a game-high 15 points and Dance added 12 points for the 436th FSS. Wade McNair scored 13 points to lead the 436th MXS.

Piper said giving up easy baskets, not boxing out on defense, and turnovers is what allowed the 436th MXS to comeback and retake the lead late, but his team was able to gut it out in the end.

"I called a timeout and told them the game is not over until there is 0:00 left on the clock," Piper said. "After they made the free throw to take the lead, I saw they had all their defenders on one side of the court so we designed a play for Dance and he was either going to make a layup or get fouled. He knocked down the free throws and we were able to take this game home."

For Dance, who will be PCSing in October, the win was special because it was his last opportunity to win a championship with the 436th FSS.

"It was a tough game and we survived," Dance said. "The story has been told how we came together late in the season. We just said to ourselves every game is a big game. To come together and get this win is an awesome feeling."

Cuadrado said that despite the loss it was a good, but bittersweet season for MXS, finishing short of the title for the second year in a row.
"It was a good season, but it is disappointing in that we finished the same way we finished last season, in second place," Cuadrado said. "It was a good fought game and it could have gone either way. They played a good game."

Piper said the championship is special because his team was able to overcome the odds, going from last place to champions in the same season.

"We just started believing and buying in to the team concept," Piper said. "When we came out as individuals we were easy to beat and it showed. When we started believing in each other and playing as a team, no one could beat us. All we had to do was believe."