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JBSA News
NEWS | March 21, 2008

Rambler Fitness Center to host base-level basketball playoffs in April

By David DeKunder 12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

The Rambler Fitness Center has its own version of "March Madness" as base intramural and extramural basketball teams compete for their respective league titles with the season coming down to the wire. 

Entering the final week of the regular season, all 13 Team Randolph basketball teams are preparing for playoff action, which starts in April. 

The intramural league consists of eight base teams - Air Force Personnel Center #1, AFPC #2, 12th Security Forces, Air Education and Training Command Computer Systems Squadron, 562nd Flying Training Squadron, 12th Mission Support Squadron, 12th Medical Group and 12th Civil Engineering Squadron. 

The five extramural teams are the 12th Medical Group, Air Force Manpower Agency, 12th Operations Support Squadron, AFPC and Air Force Recruiting Service. Extramural teams have players who are 30 years and older and don't necessarily have to work at Randolph as long as they are Department of Defense ID cardholders. 

Rikk Prado, fitness center sports program manager, said the intramural and extramural games have been very competitive and intense this season, and he expects that to continue into the playoffs. 

"The teams are pretty even," Prado said. "While this is intended to build morale, these guys want to win, so the competitive juices come out." 

Prado said every team in both leagues will make the playoffs and will be seeded based on their regular-season records. The first-and-second place teams in each league will get trophies with individual players on each of those teams receiving T-shirts. 

Intramural and extramural basketball have a high participation rate with a total of 160 players in both leagues. 

Players give high marks for the quality of competition and the camaraderie that exists. 

Jimmy Jones, AFPC skills management branch superintendent, said this is his fifth year playing base-level basketball at Randolph. He plays on the AFPC extramural team and coaches the organization's intramural team. 

"There are some really smart and talented older players in the extramural league who play the game 'right,'" Jones said. "Since entering the Air Force some 25 years ago, I have played in both on-base and off-base leagues. The competition at Randolph is comparable to other leagues because most of the guys in the Air Force have played at the high school or college level." 

Rick Langlois, AETC support and assignments instructor, has played for the 12th MSS intramural team for the past four years. Langlois said the competition at Randolph is tougher compared to off-base leagues he has played in. 

"The intensity on base and the level of play is so diverse due to the majority of participants being military," he said. "The competition and teams on base are so good, and have remained consistent throughout my time here. The best players from both intramural and extramural leagues would make an awesome base team, if we could get one."

Intramural Basketball Standings (as of March 21):

Team         Won-Lost
AFPC#1          6-0
12 MSS           5-2
12 MDG          6-1
562 FTS          4-3
12 SFS            3-4
AFPC#2          2-4
CSS/Det 2      4-4
12 CES           0-6
12 FTW           0-6