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MEN: Squad finds its game just in time, knocks off Edwards AFBto claim title

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Written by PATRICK CUBEL Scout Staff

Thursday, 05 March 2009

For Camp Pendleton’s grizzled Varsity basketball coach Chris Crawford, it isn’t always about the final result, but how that result was reached. That’s why Crawford, now in his 20th year leading the squad, was less than thrilled with his team’s performance last weekend at the Pacific West Military Basketball League’s Championship Tournament — never mind the fact Pendleton defended its home court and walked away from the 11-team tournament with the coveted first-place trophy. In Crawford’s mind, the team didn’t play up to its potential. Not until it absolutely had to, anyway. “I’m happy that we won the tournament, but at the same time, I’m disappointed with how we played,” Crawford said after Pendleton finally wrapped up the tournament Sunday evening with a 109-98 win over Paige Fieldhouse. Before Pendleton took care of Edwards AFB, the squad came out flat in the first part of the double-elimination’s final round. With the title in its grasp, Pendleton fell 106-95, forcing the dreaded “if” game. “Overall, our team plays good basketball. It’s just sometimes they don’t hustle like they should and that’s what happened in the (first game against Edwards),” Crawford said after two days of non-stop hoops action at three of Camp Pendleton’s gymnasiums (Paige Fieldhouse, 21 Area Fitness Center and 43 Area Fitness Center). Maybe Pendleton’s players entered the first contest knowing their backs weren’t against the wall, thanks to the fact they were previously unbeaten after cruising through the first three rounds of the double-elimination tournament. Maybe it was the fact they had beaten Edwards in the semifinals (104-89), or the fact the tournament was unfolding on their home court. Whatever happened, it didn’t matter because Pendleton turned it up a notch in Game 2’s winner-take-all showdown. “We took them for granted after beating them earlier in the day,” said Nathan, who was named the tournament’s MVP after scoring 29 points in the decisive final game against Edwards. “We just didn’t prepare for the game right and figured they would be too tired to play against us since they had to come up out of the losers’ bracket.” After watching Edwards battle back from a 9-point halftime deficit in Game 1 of the final, Pendleton was awaken just in time, according to veteran Snake Northington. “This is a real young team,” Northington said. “... We beat these guys (Edwards) earlier today, and (we) just thought it would be another easy victory. But when you play at this level, you can never take any team for granted. They wanted it more, and they won (Game 1). ... When we came out for (Game 2), we came out to play. This team realized that they might lose what they wanted to accomplish. We got aggressive and played some good basketball.” In the decisive victory over Edwards, Nathan wasn’t the only player delivering big production for Pendleton. Elgin Owens (15 points), Richard Cox (14 points), Steffond Johnson (12 points) and No. 42 Gee (12 points) all scored in double figures for the champions.

 

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