Marcus Nelson beats two defenders and two of his U.S. Armed Forces teammates down the court for two of his four points during the Americans' 78-71 win in the finals of the SHAPE International Basketball Tournament on Saturday. Nelson is an Army second lieutenant. (Intisar Sabree/Special to Stars and Stripes)
Marcus Nelson beats two defenders and two of his U.S. Armed Forces teammates down the court for two of his four points during the Americans' 78-71 win in the finals of the SHAPE International Basketball Tournament on Saturday. Nelson is an Army second lieutenant. (Intisar Sabree/Special to Stars and Stripes)
Antonio Robinson, a Coast Guard petty officer third class, splits two Lithuanian defenders and leans in for a layup during the Americans' 78-71 win in the finals of the SHAPE International Basketball Tournament on Saturday. Robinson finished the game with six points. (Intisar Sabree/Special to Stars and Stripes)
Brandon Newman tries to get off a shot against a Lihuanian defender during the Americans' 78-71 win in the finals of the SHAPE International Basketball Tournament on Saturday. Newman is a Navy petty officer third class. (Intisar Sabree/Special to Stars and Stripes)
Members of the U.S. Armed Forces team cut down the net after winning the 47th SHAPE International Basketball Tournament on Saturday. The U.S. beat the Lithuania, the defending champions, 78-71. (Intisar Sabree/Special to Stars and Stripes)
MONS, Belgium — The U.S. Armed Forces won the 47th SHAPE International Basketball Tournament by beating defending champion Lithuania, 78-71, in a fast-paced final Saturday night.
The Americans were led by a pair of Air Force second lieutenants: Andrew Henke had 19 points and Matt Holland, who continued his tournament-long solid play, had 14 points and five rebounds. Holland, a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate stationed at Vandenburg Air Force Base, Calif., was voted the tournament’s MVP by coaches.
Other Americans in double-digit scoring were Army second lieutenants Cleveland Richard with 15 and Kenneth Brewer with 11, plus a team-leading six rebounds.
The Lithuanian team, which plays in a professional league in their country, trailed 40-38 at half, but took charge of the game early in the third period before the U.S. regained control. The U.S. outscored Lithuania 20-15 in the final period to hold off their Baltic opponents.
In the bronze-medal game Latvia, who lost to the Americans in the semifinals, overcame a stubborn Belgian side managed by American Sam Staggers. The Belgians missed a three-point attempt at the buzzer and lost, 65-63.US ARMED FORCES 78, LITHUANIA 0US ARMED FORCES (4-0)HENKE, Andrew 5-13 5-10 19; RICHARD, Clevland 5-9 3-4 15; HOLLAND, Matt 5-120-0 14; BREWER, Kenny 3-7 5-8 11; ROBINSON, Antonio 2-4 2-3 6; BARTLEY, Ron2-6 0-0 5; NELSON, Marcus 2-2 0-2 4; JOHNSON, Craig 1-2 0-0 2; NEWMAN,Brandon 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 26-57 15-27 78.Lithuania........... 22 16 18 15 - 71US Armed Forces..... 21 19 18 20 - 783-point goals-Lithuania 0-0 (None), US Armed Forces 11-26 (HENKE,Andrew 4-10; HOLLAND, Matt 4-9; RICHARD, Clevland 2-3; BARTLEY, Ron 1-4).Fouled out--Lithuania-None, US Armed Forces-None.Rebounds-Lithuania 0 (None), US Armed Forces 41 (ROBINSON, Antonio7). Assists-Lithuania 0 (None), US Armed Forces 21 (NELSON, Marcus7). Total fouls-Lithuania 0, US Armed Forces 16. A-343
