Air Force wins men's armed forces basketball championship

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FORT CARSON, Colo. (AFPN) --  The 2006 Armed Forces Men's Basketball Championship opened here Nov. 5 with the Marine Corps upsetting the defending champion Navy team in an extremely competitive 85-81 double overtime game. The Air Force then beat the Army 104-91.

Tysen Pina of Robins Air Force Base, Ga., gave notice to the opposition when he scored two thunderous dunk shots on two of the Air Force's first five possessions. The Air Force had six players in double figures, led by Pina's 24. A.J. Kuhle of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., contributed 18 points and six assists, while Carl Little of Kadena Air Base, Japan, totaled 11 points with three from behind the three-point line, one two-pointer and a foul shot.

The Air Force remained the only unbeaten team after the second day of play when the team defeated the Marine Corps, 79-68. Tyron Wright of the U.S. Air Force Academy scored 23 points for the team, while Jammar Major from Hurlburt Field, Fla., added 19 points and garnered 13 rebounds. The Army gave the defending championship Navy team their second loss, 84-78.

The Air Force opened the third day of play when they defeated the Navy 80-72. The Air Force Academy contingent of Kuhle and Wright had 21 and 18 points respectfully, while speedy guard Drew Colon of Beale Air Force Base, Calif., contributed 12 points. The host Army team then squeaked by the Marine Corps team, winning a 73-72 game when a last second desperation pass by the Marine Corps went astray.

The second round of the double round-robin tournament started with the Air Force beating the Army, 92-80. Major led the team with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Wright added 17 points and 4 assists, while starting guards David Rivera of F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., and Ricardo Bachelor of Pope AFB, N.C., each added 8 points, along with Bachelor's 4 assists.

Colon came off the bench to contribute 12 points and 4 assists. The Marine Corps beat the Navy for the second time, 56-52, remaining in contention for the gold medal.

The Navy won their first game of the championship when they beat the Army, 85-66. The Marine Corps then handed the Air Force its first lost with an 83-77 victory. Despite this loss, the Air Force was assured of the gold medal, based on the win-loss record and the scoring differential over the contending Marine Corps team. Major scored 20 points in this game, while Wright had 11 points and 14 rebounds.

The final day of play saw the Marine Corps beat the Army 73-61, guaranteeing them the silver medal and the Army a third-place finish. The Air Force then closed out the championship with a 93-84 win over Navy. Major scored 27 points and had 15 rebounds in this contest. The Air Force exhibited a very balanced scoring attack with five other players contributing double figures in scoring (Wright's 13, Bachelor's and Kuhle's 12, and Pina's and Colen's 11).

The final standings were Air Force 5-1, Marine Corps 4-2, Army 2-4 and Navy 1-5. Wright, Major, and Kuhle were named to the all tournament team, along with the Navy's Francis Ebong and Jason Jefferson.

Based on availability, a combined Armed Forces Men's Basketball Team was selected to represent the United States at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe championship, Nov. 26 through Dec. 3.

(Courtesy of Air Force Services Agency Public Affairs)