CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan --
Marines put on their game faces March 13 at the Camp Foster Field House as they prepared to hit the hoops to prove who was best on the court.
The Marines of 3rd Maintenance Battalion are taking the battle to the basketball court as part of a battalion-wide, double-elimination tournament to raise awareness about Marine Corps Community Services sports and find out who rules the hoops.
On March 13, basketball teams EMC, from Engineer Maintenance Company, 3rd Maintenance Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force and MTM, from Motor Transportation Company, 3rd Maint. Bn., went head to head.
“My commanding officer, Lt. Col. Poole, wanted a method of informing all the Marines of the multiple MCCS sporting events that are available,” said 1st. Lt. Crystal Serrano, company commander for Engineer Maint. Co., 3rd Maint. Bn.
“So I proposed a battalion intramural program that would be held over the next couple of months where six teams from six companies compete in games that coincide with the MCCS sports going on that month,” Serrano said.
At the end of the tournament, the two winning teams will play a championship game to decide who will go on to compete at the commander’s cup. The battalion will pay the winning team’s fees to play in it, Serrano added.
“The prize is a huge trophy that the battalion has, and each team that wins an event gets their name engraved on it,” Serrano continued.
The trophy and the chance to play competitive sports was incentive enough for many of the Marines to compete.
“Marines love competition and any opportunity for them to showcase their talents,” Serrano said.
Lance Cpl. Christopher P. Catalano, from MTM, said he has enjoyed the tournament so far, and events like this are a great way to build camaraderie within his unit.
Teams EMC and MTM, were undefeated, until MTM won this bout, 59 to 36.
The final three teams, ELMACO, from Electronics Maint. Co., GSM from General Support Maint. Co. and EMC from Engineer Maint. Co. will be playing each other during the next two weekends to determine who will play MTM for the championship April 2.