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Cannoneers aim for Hawks, take two at Fort Sill

  • Published
  • By John Stuart
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The Tinker Hawks knew going in they'd have to get tough or lose. With only a cut squad of seven making the road-trip to Fort Sill, Okla., Jan. 24, the Hawks had to battle a full-strength conference team away from home. It was do or do not for the Tinker Airmen, and they were up to the double-header challenge.

Fort Sill 91
Hawks 85

Despite the tactical disadvantage, the Hawks came to play ball. They rolled out a 1-3-1 defensive scheme early in the first game and found purchase.

"We made some adjustments on defense and they seemed to have a problem dealing with that," Tinker coach Clarence Griffin said. "That seemed to really slow them down."

The Hawks rigorous cardio training showed its true colors, as Tinker matched intensity throughout the game, despite Fort Sill's substitution capabilities.

"They had their whole squad down there," Griffin said. "They kept rotating people in and out, but our guys are in shape. We run them hard."

Although Fort Sill claimed the win 91-85 in the early game Sunday, things would've been totally different had the whole Tinker squad been able to come, Griffin said.

"I'm disappointed that we couldn't go down there with a full roster," he said. "We didn't have either of our post players."

Phil Hawthorne was the leading scorer for Tinker, but three other players had figures in the double digits: Brandon Collier, Travis Carter and Gerard West.

In the second game Sunday, it was clear the Tinker brethren were tired. Eventually the substitution-happy Fort Sill made good on their game plan and capitalized with an up-tempo scheme.

But Tinker's defensive plan once again held true. Tinker fought back from a 37-12 deficit early on to close out the first half at 48-32. And at one point in the second half, the Hawks closed a 20-point deficit to only seven.

In the end it was Fort Sill's tactical advantage that won the day as they beat Tinker by double digits. But the Hawks fought to the end, Griffin said.

"We were traveling light and we didn't have our inside players so it really hurt us," Griffin said. "But I was impressed with the effort the guys put forward. I think we would've had one win if not two if we had the full roster there. They know if we'd had a full roster they would've had some trouble."