Tigers caged at MLK Challenge

  • Published
  • By Courtesy Tyndall Tigers
  • 325th Fighter Wing
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The Tyndall Tigers men's varsity basketball team lost their first game in nearly three months as they participated in the inaugural Martin Luther King Jr. Men and Women's Basketball Challenge last weekend at Eglin Air Force Base.

In Tyndall's first game they were matched up against Eglin Saturday. The lead swung back and forth, with Eglin enjoying a three point-lead, 40-37, at the half.

The second half repeated the first until Tyndall went up by four points, 67-63, late in the game. The Tigers were whistled for two technical fouls in 45 seconds, which swung the momentum over to Eglin. The Eagles took advantage of the Tigers untimely errors and pulled away with a victory of 89-76.

Melvin Smith paced the Tigers in scoring with a game high of 25 points, followed by Jared Austin with 12 points. Antonio Bazemore and Greg Brown both added 10 points each. Bazemore led the team with 10 rebounds. Stanton Simmons led Eglin in scoring with 17 points.

In Tyndall's second game, they played against the squad from Moody AFB. Although the game was close throughout the first half, Moody went into the half leading 44-38.

The Tigers got off to a slow start in the second half, allowing Moody's lead to grow to as many as 12 points. Tyndall fought back and cut the lead to five, 56-51, with a little more than 12 minutes left in the game. Untimely miscues by the Tigers thwarted every attempt at making a run. In the last four minutes of the contest, Moody went into a delay-offense and captured the win 83-74.

Smith again paced the Tigers in scoring with 27 points, followed by Rasheem Ramsey with 16 points. Marqus Armour added 14 points and Bazemore added his own 10 points. Bazemore also led the Tigers in rebounding with 10, while Ramsey led in assists with six. Clint Williams led Moody with a game high of 28 points.

The Tigers will host the Naval Station Mayport Hurricanes at 3 p.m. Saturday at the base fitness center.