VENTURA COUNTY NAVAL BASE, Calif. — Andriea Hinton scored with nine seconds left to cap a rally from a 14-point deficit as Army edged defending champion Air Force 76-75 on Thursday in the All-Armed Forces women’s basketball tournament.

The victory kept alive Army’s slim hope of unseating Air Force and reclaiming the title it held from 1992 to 2003.

Entering Friday’s final day of play in the six-day tournament, Air Force and Army were tied at 4-1, with the airmen holding the tiebreaker edge, having outscored the soldiers by nine points in their two encounters.

Air Force needed only to beat the Marine Corps on Friday to seal its second straight title. Army needed to beat Navy and hope the Marines could beat Air Force — which routed the Marines 69-30 on Tuesday.

On Thursday, Air Force led Army until the closing seconds. Trailing by six in the last 7:20 of the fourth quarter, Army was forced to foul and hope Air Force would miss from the line.

Air Force led 75-71 in the final minute before Evevetta Crawford of Okinawa’s Torii Station sank a three-pointer to get Army within a point with 39 seconds left. Army pressed on defense and forced an Air Force turnover.

2005 All-Armed Forces women’s basketball tournament

At Ventura County Naval Base, Calif.

Day 5 standings

W L Pct. GB

Air Force 4 1 .800 —

Army 4 1 .800 —

Marine Corps 1 4 .200 3

Navy 1 4 .200 3

Sunday’s games

Air Force 75, Navy 28

Army 82, Marine Corps 55

Monday's games

Air Force 79, Army 69

Marine Corps 64, Navy 59

Tuesday’s games

Air Force 69, Marine Corps 30

Army 88, Navy 41

Wednesday’s games

Army 72, Marine Corps 41

Air Force 76, Navy 51

Thursday’s games

Navy 57, Marine Corps 52, OT

Army 76, Air Force 75

Friday’s games

Army vs. Navy

Air Force vs. Marine Corps

Migrated