Navy takes win at 2012 Armed Forces Women’s Basketball Championship

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Rachelle Elsea
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The Navy defeated the Army in the Armed Forces Women's Basketball Championship final game March 31, at the Tyndall Fitness Center, with a final score of 73 to 71.

"This was a great tournament," said Mr. Lou South 325th Force Support Squadron fitness center director. "All the players said they really enjoyed being here at Tyndall and hoped we would host again in the future. The final game was one of the best I have seen in many years."

The consolation game, prior to the final game, showcased the Air Force and Marines. Air Force came out victors with a score of 72 and the Marines finishing with 66.

The tournament, which began March 25, was played in a Round Robin fashion, consisting of two games a day with all four teams playing one game daily.

"They did an outstanding job considering they played seven games
in seven days," said Mr. South. "They had to be in serious shape to perform at this level."

The teams were made up of the best female basketball athletes in their perspective branches of service, he added. Training camps were held to select the top 12 females from the Army, Navy/Coast Guard, Marines and Air Force members.

Additionally, some of the top players and coaches, from the tournament, were selected to represent the U.S. Armed Forces in the 31st National women's Pro Am Championship, April 12 through 15, in Las Vegas.

Their names are:

Army Specialist Kimberly Smith - Fort Lee, Va.
Army Specialist Michelle Ambuul - Fort Polk, La.
Army Private First Class Kenya Howard - Fort Carson, Colo.
Army Staff Sgt. April Cromartie-Golden - Fort Know, Ky.
Navy-United States Coast Guard Yeoman 2nd Class Syreeta Bromfield - USCG National Pollution Funds Center, Kingston, Jamaica
Navy Machine Accountant Seaman Kenyatta Gatlin - Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Va.
Navy-United States Coast Guard Ensign Rebecca Grimes - USCG Sector New Orleans, La.
Navy Ensign Angela Myers - USS Shiloh
Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade Jen Schumacher - Naval Nuclear Power Training Command
Marine Private First Class Joana Switzer -Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Tiffanie Guthrie - Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
Air Force Senior Airman Denasha Mondy -Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
Head Coach: Navy Mrs. Tonya Strobridge - Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy
Assistant Coach: Navy Ms. Sandra Williams -Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.
Officer in Charge: Air Force Mr. Richard Byers Tyndall AFB, Fla.

The tournament was an overall success and Tyndall hopes to host again in the future.