Story and photo by

Randy Dela Cruz
Contributing Writer

Joint Intelligence Operations Center (JIOC) outscored the "A" team from Navy Information Operations Command Hawaii (NIOC), 30-12, in the second half to turn a close game into a 59-39 victory during an Afloat Intramural League basketball game at Naval Station Gym, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on March 1.

The win improved JIOC's record to 6-1, only one game behind league-leader Naval Station Pearl Harbor (NAVSTA), while NIOC "A" lost for the third time in four tries.

While final outcome turned out be a convincing triumph for JIOC, the game was a seesaw affair for the first 16 minutes of play as NIOC "A" gave the Afloat Division's runner-up all it could handle.

Strong performances by post-players, Equipment Operator 3rd Class Elijah Godbold and Army Sgt. Terry Daniels, kept NIOC neck and neck with JIOC as the tandem combined for 11 points in the first period and 20 points for the half.

Godbold led NIOC with 18 points and was followed by Daniels who came up with 11 points.

In the second half, however, it was all JIOC as the team's shooters heated up from the outside and consistently burned its opponent from downtown.

Leading JIOC from the perimeter was Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Lorenzo Nichols, who led all scorers with a game-high 20 points, which included four long-distance splashdowns from well beyond the three-point arch.

"We got two big guys, but tonight they weren't here," said Nichols. "On nights like this, we live or die by our outside shooting."

In total, JIOC shooters locked in on nine treys with Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 1st Class Jason Townsend also making good on four deep shots.

"This was a team effort," added Nichols. "We rotated and shot the ball better, boxed out and picked up our defense. We started playing team ball in the second half."

Although NIOC "A" stepped onto the court with an advantage in height, its vertical assets were zeroed out by the hot hands of JIOC shooters.

After NIOC "A" had to relinquish its two-three-zone defense, the quickness of the JIOC players took over and dominated the action.

Forced to chase down the smaller and faster players on JIOC, NIOC "A" began to falter on offense – scoring only two points in the third period and 10 in the fourth.

"We just went into a slump," said Godbold. "On defense, we kept on letting their (JIOC) point guard squeeze by and they started hitting their threes. There's nothing you can do about that."

Air Force Sgt. David White, who is a reserve guard on JIOC, came off the bench and tallied nine points on three field goals and three free throws out of four tries.

He said that although NIOC's players were bigger, he felt that if JIOC stuck to its game plan of finding the open shot, the team would come out on top.

"We believe that we can play with anybody," said White. "We all know the game plan – penetrate, find the open man and knock down the shot. Everybody was ready."

Nichols stated that if everybody on JIOC continues to play smart basketball, then the team should continue its winning ways and keep pace with NAVSTA.

Nichols said that JIOC's fundamentals on defense helped neutralize the big players on NIOC. And once the team saw NIOC switch into a man-to-man defense, Nichols said that JIOC was savvy enough to take advantage of the situation.

"We got outstanding guards," explained Nichols. "As soon as they (NIOC) made the switch, we knew what we had to do."