News

78th LRS grabs intramural basketball championship

  • Published
  • By Wayne Crenshaw
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  Three times this year the 78th Logistics Readiness Squadron faced the 116th Air Control Wing in intramural basketball and three times the 78th LRS lost.

It was a different story when the base championship was on the line Wednesday night. In the double-elimination tournament, the 78th LRS beat the 116th ACW in back-to-back games to take the title.

The 78th LRS had lost to the 116th ACW 50-38 in the first game of the tournament, so the 116th ACW, which hadn't lost since, needed only to win the first game to take the title.

Staff Sgt. George Richardson, who coached the 78th LRS, credited the turnaround to his team's desire.

"These guys decided they wanted it real bad," he said. "They came together and got that team camaraderie going. I think we just wanted it more than they did."

The 116th ACW appeared poised to take care of business in the first game, jumping out to a big lead early after a cold start by both teams. The 116th ACW led 23-13 with 3:51 left in the half, but the 78th LRS went on a 8-0 run, and cut the lead to 29-23 at the half.

The 78th LRS started the second half red hot, led by Senior Airman Khenz Jacinthe, who scored nine points in the first four minutes to give his team a 37-29 lead with 9:47 left. The 116th made it close in the end, but the 78th LRS held on for a 54-48 victory to force a second game for the title.

With only a few minutes of rest between games, the second game was dominated by the 78th LRS. The champions appeared to have more energy in what was the first time either team had played back-to-back games. They won 55-40.

"My guys played hard the whole season, but they (the 78th LRS) had a little more intensity than we had tonight," said Staff Sgt. Alton Smith, who coached the 116th ACW.