Airmen selected for All U.S. Armed Forces basketball team

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Evelyn Chavez
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  Two Aviano Airmen were selected to play with the All Air Force and U.S. Armed Forces Basketball teams for the 2014 season.

Senior Airman Jahmal Lawson, 31st Security Forces Squadron defender and Airman 1st Class Tiara Cook, 31st Communications Squadron knowledge operator, had the opportunity to represent the Air Force during the Armed Forces basketball championship tournament and their country playing international armed forces teams.

"We started the two-week All Air Force team tryouts with 30 people," said Lawson. "Every day was grueling, we practiced two times a day and all the guys trying out were great players."

After the coaches eliminated players during tryouts, only the best of the best remained. The 12 members in each of the men's and women's teams, including Lawson and Cook, played in the Armed Forces Basketball Championship tournament at Camp Pendleton, California. 

"The training camp and tryouts prepared us for the challenges and competition we faced in the tournament," said Cook. "The hard work definitely paid off."

During the nine-day tournament the Air Force teams faced the All Army, Navy and Marines teams to win the men's first and women's second place.

"My favorite part about making and playing on the team was the friends I made," added Cook.  "We developed a relationship in the midst of all the adversity of the tournament."

At the conclusion of the event, the Armed Forces committee selected several elite players from each branch to represent their service and United States in the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) International Basketball Tournament in Belgium and Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM) World Games in South Korea.

Lawson and Cook were two of the few earning a spot in the men and women's U.S. Armed Forces teams.  Lawson played in the SHAPE tournament last month and is waiting, along with Cook, for the CISM tournament in March.

"Playing in the SHAPE tournament was very rewarding," said Lawson.  "My favorite part was meeting people from different countries. Not everyone could understand each other's language but we understood basketball."

With Lawson's help at the forward position, the U.S. Armed Forces team defeated Canada, Latvia, Italy and Lithuania during the SHAPE tourney to remain undefeated and win first place. The last time the team was named tournament champions was in 2010. 

While Cook and Lawson wait for the Armed Forces tournament in South Korea, they continue to work hard and develop their skills by training, practicing and playing on the base basketball teams.  

"It was a blessing to be selected and play on these teams," said Lawson.  "Honestly, it was one of the best feelings in the world to be part this."

Cook and Lawson hope to try out for the 2015 teams and bring back first place in all tournaments.

"I am truly grateful for the program that gave me the ability to represent the Air Force," said Cook.  "This was an amazing experience and cannot wait to tryout next year, but this time bring back gold!"