Med Group knocks off MXS to win hoops title

  • Published
  • By Tyler Hemstreet
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Despite losing one of their key starters to injury late in the second half, the 62nd Medical Group intramural basketball team rallied together and defeated the 62nd Maintenance Squadron 43-37 to win the intramural basketball championship March 30 at the fitness center. 

Clinging to a 31-29 lead with seven minutes left in the game, MDG center Roy Fulleton slipped while working for position in the low post. After lying in pain on the court for a few minutes, Fulleton was helped off and did not return for the remainder of the game. 

In his absence, MDG (15-1) responded with an 8-0 run as guards Kristopher Auger and Demetrius Office drilled back-to-back 3-pointers and Leonard Washington converted a layup off a back door cut. 

The game-changing run also came after Auger knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers of his own, erasing an MXS 26-21 lead. 

"They were giving us the three because [Fulleton] is just a force to be reckoned with down low so they usually give us the outside shot," Auger said. "We just got hot there for a stretch, and we needed it because once he went out, it was crucial that we hit our threes." 

MXS (15-2) did manage to cut the lead to 39-35 with one minute, 19 seconds left, but MDG made its free throws down the stretch to close out the victory. 

After a 68-64 overtime win over MXS in the semifinals, MDG had some confidence going into the final, Auger said. 

"We knew we'd probably be playing them again because they are such a strong team," he said. "We just knew in the back of our heads that we had to play hard, but they had to beat us twice so it was sort of a momentum thing." 

The first half started slowly as neither team could get things going early. 

MXS went on a 14-2 run to tie the score at 16 with 20 seconds left in the half, but two free throws by Josh Cruz with no time remaining gave MDG an 18-16 lead at the half. 

After losing in the intramural football championship game, the win in basketball eased some of that pain, said MDG coach Curtis Storm. 

"This feels good," Storm said. "I think [winning a basketball championship] hasn't happened in MDG's history of playing basketball. I've only been here four years, but I don't think we've really won anything in base championships so this is nice." 

Auger led all scorers with 17 points while Fulleton finished with 10. Richard Coleman led MXS with 16.