MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- The Marine Corps Base Hawaii Postal basketball team sealed a solid success over Headquarters Battalion at the Semper Fit Center gym, Jan. 29.
Both teams are part of the base’s intramural basketball league. Some players are active duty and others are Department of Defense civilians.
The heated competition was readily apparent on the players’ sweaty faces as they dribbled and drove to the net, hoping to secure bragging rights. The cheers of onlookers steadily climbed throughout the intense battle.
Through jump shots and layups, the struggle ensued up and down the court without any pauses in action. At first, the score stayed consistent along with the battle. Halfway through the first quarter, the score was 12-10 in the favor of Postal. Near the end of the first quarter, Headquarters Bn. evened the score, 16-16.
The Postal team got their momentum during the second half with three point shots. With this new display of determination, Headquarters Bn. began missing important shots. The drive of the game was tilted in Postal’s favor and they gained a demanding lead over Headquarters Bn.
The final score of 50-32 was also obtained by free throws and a solid defensive strategy that crumbled Headquarters Bn.’s chances.
James Warren, a forward for Postal, said his team was relentless in their pursuit of victory.
“We came back at halftime with a re-strategized plan. During the first half we got comfortable with each other, then we out hustled them,” Warren said. “They tried to outplay us in the second half. There was no way they were going to stop us. The Headquarters Battalion team is of no competition.”
Warren also said his goal was to beat them by 30 points, but seemed satisfied with their 18 point victory. He said it came down to which team wanted it more and Postal was better suited for the task.
Terrence Tyson, a guard and forward for Headquarters Bn., felt his team didn’t lack determination, but struggled to find the elements for cohesion.
“We played sloppy,” Tyson said. “The guys didn’t know each other. We need to bring chemistry to the team, learn to know each other and we will improve.”
Tony Gaisoa, Postal’s forward for the past two years, said it was a difficult victory with the addition of new teammates.
“We started off slow trying to get used to one another,” Gaisoa said. “But we ended on a good note.”
He said his team’s offense needed improvement, though their defense was solid. As for his personal performance, he said he plans to work on his free throws to help put points on the scoreboard.
Warren said now that Postal has their first game jitters out of the way, they are looking to carry this win to future performances. They hope to keep the momentum going and be better with consistency throughout the game, not just a solid performance during the second half.