JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
The Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland men's varsity basketball team fell to JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, 92-80, in a preseason game Oct. 3 at the Chaparral Fitness Center at JBSA-Lackland.
Five Lackland players scored in double digits in the loss. Guard Deandre Snow and forward/guard Maurice Jenkins Day each scored 15 points, guard Steve Constantin racked up 11 points, and forwards Ty Moore and Darrell Davis each had 10.
Behind at the half 38-37, the Lackland offense shifted momentum its way to start the second half and took a game-high nine-point lead six minutes into the period.
But then the wheels started to come off for Lackland as Fort Sam chipped away at the lead to narrow its deficit to two with 10 minutes left in the game.
A layup from guard Curtis Dilworth gave Fort Sam its first lead since intermission at 67-66. Lackland stayed within striking distance, but ultimately, Fort Sam's rapid drives through the paint made a difference.
With the game tied at 73-73, Fort Sam went on a decisive 16-5 run in the last five minutes of play. The run was highlighted by a costly Lackland turnover less than a minute into the game-changing run that enabled Fort Sam to keep the momentum going in its direction.
The last of Dilworth's 19 points on a game-ending layup produced the final score and Fort Sam's largest lead in the contest.
The two teams had been on an even keel before Fort Sam's decisive double-digit run with five minutes to play.
Fort Sam coach Delvin Maston liked the way his team bounced back from its subpar performance for the majority of the game to earn the win.
"We settled down and started knocking down a few shots," Maston said. "We stopped settling for long shots and started pushing the ball into the paint.
"Once we started driving more to the point, our outside shots started flowing, too," he added.
Lackland coach Larus Martin said giving up second-chance shots and turning the ball over, along with Fort Sam's three-point shot execution, led to his team's downfall.
"Second shots and three-point plays kept us from winning this game," Martin said. "We didn't execute well down the stretch, had crucial turnovers at the wrong time and gave up too many easy baskets."
Martin said the team needs to improve its defense, rebounding and cut down on turnovers.
"We need to help each other out on defense and take care of the ball down the stretch," he said.
The loss drops Lackland to 1-2 in the preseason. Lackland opens the regular season Nov. 3 against McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., at 2 p.m. and Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., at 6 p.m. at the Warhawk Fitness Center.