Servicemembers have March Madness Bagram style

  • Published
  • By Capt. Toni Tones
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (AFPN) --  With music blaring, ball slapping, pump fakes and lots of trash talking, Bagram Air Base servicemembers battled in a three-on-three basketball tournament March 30 through April 6 here. 

The 455th Expeditionary Services Squadron-sponsored event put teamwork to the test that led a 24th Ordnance Battalion four-man squad to victory after beating 44 other teams in a double-elimination bracket system. 

The team who scored 15 points first or outscored the other team in 15-minutes walked away victorious and advanced to the next bracket. The Bagram AB tournament was a way servicemembers here could emulate the college basketball March Madness tournament to determine the best basketball team in America.

The team of Clinton Jefferson, Jose Green, Damontae Griffin and Brandon Burton based out of Hunter Army Air Field, Ga., were named "kings on the court" and were awarded the treasures -- a plaque and $50 Army and Air Force Exchange Services gift card for each player -- that go along with it.

A team of Air Force members and contractors assigned here -- Albert Banks, Sam Roberts, Jaime Blye and Samuel McIntyre -- took second place winners and each received a $30 AAFES gift card.

"Although we're deployed and removed from a lot of the basketball excitement stateside, this was our version of 'March Madness' for the Airmen," said Senior Airman Courtney Blitch, the event coordinator. "This gave the players an opportunity to exercise and build esprit de corps while boosting the morale for the spectators."

This year, members of the 455th ESVS have sponsored more than 300 events for Airmen deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link)

View the comments/letters page