‘March Madness’ Bagram style

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Senior Airman Eric Wooten, 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron force protection escort, drives past Staff Sgt. Kevin Clark, 455th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron services journeyman, in the 3-on-3 March Madness basketball tournament held here April 6. Wooten is deployed from the 81st Communications Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and Clark is deployed from the 919th Services Flight, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Demetrius Lester)

‘March Madness’ Bagram style

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Members of the 24th Ordinance Battalion squad pose for a photo with their $30 gift cards and plaques with 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Command Chief (left) Chief Master Sgt. Ray Clark and 455th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron superintendent Chief Master Sgt. Christopher L. Goosby. The team won the 'March Madness' 3-on-3 basketball tournament sponsored by the 455th Expeditionary Services Squadron. (U.S. Air Force Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Demetrius Lester)

‘March Madness’ Bagram style

Published April 9, 2008
By Capt. Toni Tones
455 Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan -- "Get off me!"

There was music blaring, ball slapping, pump fakes, and of course, a lot of trash-talking at the 455th Expeditionary Services Squadron-sponsored 3-on-3 basketball tournament here April 6. The tournament began March 30.

But it was teamwork and pure hustle that led a 24th Ordinance Battalion four-man squad to victory after beating 44 other teams in a double-elimination bracket system. The team who scored 15 points first or outscored the other team in 15-minutes walked away victorious and advanced to the next bracket.

The team of Clinton Jefferson, Jose Green, Damontae Griffin and Brandon Burton based out of Hunter Army Air Field, Ga., now have bragging rights as Bagram's "kings on the court" and the prizes - a plaque and $50 AAFES gift card for each player - that go along with it.

"It (the win) means a lot to us and the company," said Jefferson. "We've been here for 14 months so it's a nice going away gift."

"Not to mention it's a great boost for morale," added Green.

Second place winners each received a $30 AAFES gift card and were Albert Banks, Sam Roberts, Jaime Blye, and Samuel McIntyre, a team of Air Force members and contractors assigned here.

"We wanted to win and set out to give our all," said Banks. "They had a good team, and we just couldn't kick it off at the end. Everyone loses at some point, but this was good exercise...especially for me because I'm mad out of shape."

Promotion of fitness, morale, and esprit de corps are the underlying missions for each Services event.

"Although we're deployed and removed from a lot of the basketball excitement stateside, this was our version of 'March Madness' for the Airmen," said Senior Airman Courtney Blitch, event coordinator. "This gave the players an opportunity to exercise and build esprit de corps, while boosting the morale for the spectators."

This year, 455 ESVS has sponsored more than 300 events for Airmen deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.