Sam Dixon of Korea's Camp Humphreys Bulldogs drives the lane against Tony Winters of Okinawa's Spotlight during Saturday's men's championship game in the March Madness Open Tournament at Andersen Air Base, Guam. Humphreys downed Spotlight 121-93. (Dave Ornauer / S&S)
Sam Dixon of Korea's Camp Humphreys Bulldogs drives the lane against Tony Winters of Okinawa's Spotlight during Saturday's men's championship game in the March Madness Open Tournament at Andersen Air Base, Guam. Humphreys downed Spotlight 121-93. (Dave Ornauer / S&S)
Theresa Moss (2) of Korea's Osan Defenders and Kim Elliott (10) of Korea's Kunsan Wolf Pack battle for a rebound during Saturday's second women's championship game in the March Madness Open Tournament at Andersen Air Base, Guam. Kunsan beat Osan 70-62. (Dave Ornauer / S&S)
Shanaysha Walker of the Kunsan Wolf Pack shoots against the Osan Defenders during Saturday's second women's championship game. (Dave Ornauer / S&S)
Amoni Suttice of Korea's Kunsan Wolf Pack drives the lane against the Osan Defenders during Saturday's second women's championship game. Suttice was selected tournament MVP. (Dave Ornauer / S&S)
Ramon Moss of Korea's Camp Humphreys Bulldogs goes up for two of his 13 third-quarter points in Saturday's championship game. (Dave Ornauer / S&S)
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam — Call it the All-Korea party. Special guests of honor: Camp Humphreys’ men and Kunsan Air Base’s women.
Point guard Amoni Suttice earned MVP honors by scoring 13 points and dishing out 14 assists as the Wolf Pack women downed their Korea rival Osan Defenders 70-62 Saturday in the championship of the March Madness Open Basketball Tournament.
Osan forced a second “if necessary” double-elimination final game by beating Kunsan 66-55 in the first game.
The men’s championship was no contest as the Bulldogs overwhelmed exhausted Spotlight of Okinawa 121-93. Spotlight, with only seven players, took Humphreys to overtime earlier on Saturday before falling 125-119.
Men’s championship: Camp Humphreys 121, Spotlight 93
Ramon Moss, of Osan but playing for Humphreys in this tournament, felt a sense of urgency at halftime of the title game. The Bulldogs took a big lead in Saturday’s first game against Spotlight before the Okinawans rallied to sent it to overtime.
He left nothing to chance in the finale, scoring 13 of his game-high 24 points in the first 3½ minutes of the third quarter.
“The last time we played them, we let them back in it. I just wanted to make a statement and finish them off quickly. Coaches tell me that the first two minutes of the second half are the most important of the game,” Moss said.
Humphreys rolled to a 21-point first-quarter lead, but then engaged in showtime antics in the second quarter, with center Brett Thomas throwing down four dunks.
Though Showtime showed signs of life, the Bulldogs never were in serious trouble. Thomas had 12 of his 14 points in the first half and Andrew Gross added 21.
The Bulldogs featured two Osan players, Chris Moed as well as two-time All-Air Force forward Moss, and All-Armed Forces guard Ronald Bartley, chosen the tournament’s MVP.
“They added a good outside threat and they’re good all-around players,” Thomas said. “We were happy to have them.”
Moss also felt he was in pretty special company.
“It was great playing with a bunch of guys who make the game easy,” he said.
As for undermanned Spotlight, playing an overtime game before defeating the host Andersen Bombers 99-92 in the loser’s bracket final was too taxing.
“We gave it all we had,” forward A.J. Hickman said. “But having to play three games in a row, we just didn’t have enough in the tank to contend with their speed.”
Hickman had 14 of his 17 points in the second half. Charles Williams added 24 points, Tony Winters 21, Joshua Reaser 16 and Chris Carter 12 for Spotlight.
Women’s championship: Kunsan 70, Osan 62; Osan 66, Kunsan 55
The term “dime” is sometimes used in basketball parlance to describe an assist. Suttice says her teammates call her the “Dime Dropper,” and she showed why in the second game.
“I love assists,” Suttice said.
Most of them went inside to Shanaysha Walker, who scored 19 of her 29 points in the second half, including two key baskets during a 12-2 run that led the Wolf Pack to a 47-39 lead with 12:50 left. They never trailed again.
“She’s a beast down there,” Suttice said of Walker. “She’s one of the best post players on the peninsula [Korea]. We brought her here and she was a big factor.”
Unlike the opener, in which the Wolf Pack tried to match the Defenders’ fast-paced game, Kunsan changed the pace of the second contest, at times running, at others playing a half-court set.
“We tried to use different defenses and run different styles of offense to keep them off guard,” Suttice said. “The first game was like street ball. In the second game, coach told us to run the plays, that they work.”
It was Kunsan’s second title in as many Pacificwide open tournament appearances this season, including the championship in the Osan Pacificwide Open in December.
Kim Elliott added 14 points for Kunsan. Tonya Holmes led Osan with 20, Jocelyn Mosby hit five second-half three-pointers and Arlitha Ivey added 10.
March Madness Open Tournament
March Madness Open Tournament
At Coral Reef Fitness and Sports Complex, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam
Double-elimination playoffs
Men
Saturday's games
Camp Humphreys 100, Yokosuka 79
USS Frank Cable 69, Andersen B 67; Andersen B eliminated
Yokosuka 87, Ace Hardware 86; Ace Hardware eliminated
Camp Humphreys 125, Spotlight 119, OT
Andersen A 95, USS Frank Cable 81; USS Frank Cable eliminated
Andersen A 121, Yokosuka 110; Yokosuka eliminated
Spotlight 99, Andersen A 92; Andersen A eliminated
Camp Humphreys 121, Spotlight 93; Spotlight eliminated
Awards
Most Valuable Player: Ronald Bartley, Camp Humphreys.
All-Tournament team: Sam Dixon, Ronald Bartley, Wallace Ruffin, Mario Jones, Ramon Moss, Camp Humphreys; Joshua Reaser, Chris Carter, Charles Williams, Spotlight; Marvin Harris, Michael Walters, Cliff Claybrooks, Andersen A; Nate Burnett, Kenny Battle, Michael Gay, Yokosuka; Joshua Jones, USS Frank Cable; Bryan Shipman, Nate Hawkins, Andersen B; Fred Peters, Ace Hardware.
Saturday's summaries
Camp Humphreys 100, Yokosuka 79
Halftime: Camp Humphreys 50-36. Leading scorers: Camp Humphreys, Andrew Gross 19, Ronald Bartley 16 (14 first half, three three-point goals), Wallace Ruffin 16 (four three-point goals), Chris Moed 13 (three three-point goals), Brett Thomas 11; Yokosuka, Nate Burnett 26 (22 first half), Kenny Battle 17 (13 second half), Michael Gay 15 (11 second half).
USS Frank Cable 69, Andersen B 67
Halftime:Andersen B 31-30. Leading scorers: USS Frank Cable, Joshua Jones 31, Johnel Berry 11; Andersen B, Bryan Shipman 23 (15 second half, three three-point goals), Rufus Lyle 12, Chauncey Hunter 10.
Yokosuka 87, Ace Hardware 86
Halftime:Yokosuka 52-35. Leading scorers: Yokosuka, Nate Burnett 31 (21 first half), Tim Greene 16, Michael Gay 14, Henry Grays 13, Kenny Battle 11; Ace Hardware, Fred Peters 26, J.P. Cruz 19 (three three-point goals), Cajigal 17 (five three-point goals), Vitug 12.
Andersen A 95, USS Frank Cable 81
Halftime: Andersen A 48-37. Leading scorers: Andersen A, Rob Furbush 26 (three three-point goals), Marvin Harris 14, William Watkins 13 (all first half), Cliff Claybrooks 10 (all second half); USS Frank Cable, Jermane Lee 22 (17 first half), Garnett Zundell 12, Antwan Hunter 10.
Camp Humphreys 125, Spotlight 119 (OT)
Camp Humphreys 34 28 21 29 13 125
Spotlight 25 26 29 32 7 119
Leading scorers:Camp Humphreys, Ronald Bartley 32 (eight three-point goals), Andrew Gross 18, Ramon Moss 18 (14 second half), Brett Thomas 17, Sam Dixon 13, Wallace Ruffin 10; Spotlight, Chris Carter 28 (four three-point goals), Joshua Reaser 23, Justin Brown 22, Tony Winter 17 (four three-point goals), Josh Ward 11.
Andersen A 121, Yokosuka 110
Andersen A 26 23 32 40 121
Yokosuka 23 30 25 32 110
Leading scorers: Andersen A, Mike Walters 30 (five three-point goals), Marvin Harris 29 (three three-point goals), William Watkins 22, Rob Furbush 13; Yokosuka, Michael Gay 36, Nate Burnett 32, Henry Grays 15.
Spotlight 99, Andersen A 92
Andersen A 20 20 18 34 92
Spotlight 26 21 27 25 99
Leading scorers:Spotlight, Chris Carter 31, Tony Winters 17, Charles Williams 16, Joshua Ward 12, Joshua Reaser 12; Andersen A, Tony Wilson 23, Marvin Harris 19, Damien Seals 12, Mike Walters 11.
Camp Humphreys 121, Spotlight 93
Camp Humphreys 34 26 38 23 121
Spotlight 15 23 27 28 93
Leading scorers:Camp Humphreys, Ramon Moss 24 (13 third quarter), Andrew Gross 21, Brett Thomas 14; Spotlight, Charles Williams 24, Tony Winters 21, A.J. Hickman 17 (14 second half), Joshua Reaser 16, Chris Carter 12.
Women
Saturday's games
Osan 66, Kunsan 55
Kunsan 70, Osan 62; Osan eliminated
Awards
Most Valuable Player: Amoni Suttice, Kunsan.
All-Tournament team: Amoni Suttice, Shanaysha Walker, Kim Elliott, Sasha Lewis, Shay Harris, Kunsan; Kazue "Jo-Jo" Dancer, Tonya Holmes, Arlitha Ivey, Jessica Garcis, Jocelyn Mosby, Theresa Moss, Osan; Sandra Hernandez, Suz Lopez, Niesha Wingster, Camp Humphreys; Stephanie Fletcher, Porsche Jones, Andersen.
Saturday's summaries
Osan 66, Kunsan 55
Halftime:Osan 37, Kunsan 28. Leading scorers: Osan, Latore Sanders 20 (14 first half), Jessica Garcia 14 (three three-point goals), Arlitha Ivey 11, Kazue "Jo-Jo" Dancer 10 (eight first half); Kunsan, Amoni Suttice 19 (14 first half), Shanaysha Walker 13.
Kunsan 70, Osan 62
Halftime:Osan 25, Kunsan 24. Leading scorers: Kunsan, Shanaysha Walker 29 (19 second half), Kim Elliott 14, Amoni Suttice 13; Osan, Tonya Holmes 20, Jocelyn Mosby 15 (all second half, five three-point goals), Arlitha Ivey 10.
