All-military Knights defeat Team
Breakdown to win tournament 42-31

by Reginald Rogers
Paraglide

	photo by Dawn Elizabeth Pandoliano/Paraglide Jay Hands of the Knights blocks a dunk attempt by J.P. Haumann (#6) of Team Breakdown during the summer basketball championship game Sunday at Ritz-Epps Physical Fitness Center.

The 16 teams that took to the courts over the weekend found themselves in the midst of some of the stiffest competition Fort Bragg has seen in years.
This year’s summer basketball tournament featured teams that included some of the post’s finest basketball players mixing it up with the area’s current and future collegiate players.

When the smoke cleared, only two teams stood at center court, the Knights, which consisted of Fort Bragg Soldiers and Team Breakdown, which featured former Fayetteville high school stars J.P. Haumann, George Valentine and Kevin Powell.

Team Breakdown fought its way out of the losers’ bracket, after losing to forfeit earlier in the tournament. Because of the loss, the team had to face the Knights in back-to-back contest to claim the championship.

They stopped the Knights 53-42 in the first game, which set up a physical battle in game two.
“We’ve got to come back and play solid defense,” said Knights forward Eloi Perry, following the first game. “We played good defense in the last five minutes and got back into the game. We have to play an all-around game.”

During the second game, Perry’s team executed to near perfection, as they jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. The Knight defeated Team Breakdown 42-31 to win the tournament title.

“It think the competition is awesome,” explained Veronica Watson of Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s sports office, who served as tournament director. “You’ve got a nice mixture of younger and older guys.”

She said the Knights and Team Breakdown made for a great championship match-up.
Watson thanked all the team for their participation and summed up the tournament as a battle of courage.

“The championship game is about heart,” she said. “The team with the biggest heart will win the tournament.”