News

All-AF Basketball Team revealed

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Shen-Chia Chu
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Making the cut: Part 3 of 3 part series

Twelve Airmen were recently chosen for the All-Air Force Basketball team during tryouts held at the Fitness Center at Dover Air Force Base.

The team will now go on to try for a gold medal three-peat against the Army, Navy and Marines in a tournament from March 19 - 27 held at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa.

John Bailey, the head coach of the All-Air Force Team and program manager for the C-17 product directorate at Robins AFB, Ga., said his teams have won the Armed Forces championship for the last two seasons and are looking forward to another win.

Each service will play one another twice to determine the winner at the end of the bracket.

"If our team wins this championship, this will be the first time in over 20 years for the Air Force team to win three times in a row," said Paul Mayberry, who has been the assistant coach of the All-Air Force Team for six years.

Mr. Mayberry said this is the most talented Air Force team he's seen since he has helped coach the team.

"Ten out of twelve of our players have gold medals from last year's win and three of our guys have played for the Air Force Academy.

"We just have a large collection of talent. It's rare to have so many accomplished players on one team," he said.

"With this much talent, other teams will just have to adapt to our style of playing," said Mr. Mayberry. "Our strategy to win this championship is good team play, up and down basketball, and solid defense to help us win the gold medal."


The All-Air Force Basketball Players:

Staff Sgt. Ricardo Bachelor, Osan Air Base, Korea

Airman 1st Class Ollie Bradley, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

1st Lt. Jacob Butschi, USAFA, Colo.

Senior Airman Drew Colen, Beale AFB, Calif. 

Capt. Kurtis Darden, Pope AFB, N.C. 

Staff Sgt. Bernard James, Beale AFB, Calif. 

2nd Lt. Nick Welch, Barksdale AFB, La. 

Staff Sgt. Marico Gray, Andrews AFB, Md. 

Senior Airman Wayne Wooley, Osan AB, Korea 

Airman 1st Class James Lewis, Buckley AFB, Colo. 

Senior Airman Jammar Major, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 

1st Lt. Dan Nwaelele, Keesler AFB, Miss.