JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
When U.S. Army Spc. Vanessa Lamison hurriedly hurled a 3-point shot with less than 10 seconds to go, she prayed that it would go in.
If the shot went through, Lamison and the All-Army Women’s Basketball Team would clinch their second consecutive Armed Forces Women’s Basketball Championship.
Lamison’s 3-pointer sealed a 67-65 victory over the All-Navy Women’s Basketball Team July 7 at the Chaparral Fitness Center. The team blazed through the Armed Forces Women’s Basketball Tournament with a 7-0 undefeated record.
“We worked hard for (the championship) and feel that we deserved it,” said Lamison, who scored a team high 19 points. “The gold wasn’t handed to us and it wasn’t easy.”
En route to the finals, the All-Army Women’s team beat fellow armed services teams by an average of 40.8 points a game during the week-long double round- robin tournament.
The Navy team whom Army beat twice by an average of 29 points, was determined to be a road-block in it's opponents’ undefeated aspirations in the championship game.
U.S. Navy Seaman Jameika Hoskins made two free throws that gave Navy a 65-64 lead late in the fourth quarter. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Christie Ayers had an opportunity for a 3-point play by converting two free throws, but she missed both attempts, leading to Army having possession of the ball for Lamison’s 3-point attempt.
Lt. Col. William Johnson, Army head coach, was relieved Lamison’s shot went in the basket.
“We had a little luck on our side,” he said. “We deserved the championship because we played hard all tournament. I knew the finale was going to be a dog fight because Tonya Strabridge, Navy head coach, was my assistant coach on the Armed Forces women’s basketball team. So, she knew my plays and had her team ready.”
As a result of the victory, Johnson was selected the Armed Forces women’s basketball head coach as the team competes against international military service basketball teams in the Conseil International du Sport Militaire World Women’s Basketball Championship July 23-30 at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Cutline
The All-Army Women’s Basketball Team vaults on U.S. Army Spc. Vanessa Lamison after her 3-pointer clinched a 67-65 victory over the All-Navy Women’s Basketball Team for the Army’s second consecutive Armed Forces Women’s Basketball Championship July 7 at the Chaparral Fitness Center.