TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- MXS #1 booted the 72nd Med Group to the loser’s bracket right before the semi-final round of games. Getting off to an odd start, the maintainers won the first possession and traveled to the wrong end of the court. That wouldn’t be telling of how the rest of the game would fare, however.
After getting their bearings, MXS put up a quick nine points. The Med Group retaliated, matching eight of those nine fast tallies. Kenny, the maintainers’ hot shot, hit layup after layup and sprinkled in a couple of three-pointers. He contributed 17 points to his team’s 32 in the first half.
The maintainers controlled the ball much better, with better accuracy in their passes both up and down the court, as well as in-bound baseline passes. Fluid ball movement provided better opportunity and ultimately gave their already-strong offense an edge.
The second half was favored less towards MXS, as the halftime break seemed to light a fire under the Med Group. Following their first possession, MDG posted eight points while MXS countered with only two before calling a timeout. Getting into a good groove, the Med Group rallied another eight points. That closed the wide gap, and the game was 34-30 with 10 minutes remaining.
A short-lived rally, MDG continued to sink some threes and a few layups, but it would not be enough to catch up with the maintainers. The closest score of the game was right under the five-minute mark, and the maintainers held just a three-point lead.
Gaining their momentum back, MXS was able to seal the deal with some more Kenny buckets, as well as a few from Ellis. Towards the end of the game, the Med Group was unable to get any shots off. What helped MXS control their lead was their ability to snag every rebound.
Despite their massive cheering section, the MDG was unable to pull out a win. The maintainers were victorious with a 52-47 final.