Courtesy Photo | The shortest paratrooper on Forward Operation Base Iskan, Sgt. Eric Alamo, of 2nd...... read more read more
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by 1st Lt. Tyler Mitchell
ISKANDARIYA, Iraq –Three men, averaging 7' in height, stood out among the Soldiers at Forward Operating Base Iskandariyah, June 15.
Shawn Bradley from the Dallas Mavericks, Thurl Bailey from the Utah Jazz, and Greg Minor from the Boston Celtics; visited the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regimen, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division Geronimos during their "Hoops for Troops" tour of Iraq.
"We came out to here to have some fun with everyone, and to let you know that we support everything you all are doing, and that everyone we talk to supports you as well," Thurl Bailey said addressing the Paratroopers in the Geronimo Morale, Welfare, and Recreation facility.
The NBA players started off the day's activities with warm-up drills, and lay up drills.
Then, the Geronimo and the basketball players faced off for some competition. The participating Geronimos found it difficult to shoot lay-ups and other shots with the 7'6" Bradley, the former center from the Dallas Mavericks, defending the basket.
"(Shawn Bradley) is taking special pleasure in blocking our shots," said 1st Lt. Jordan Allen from Company Delta, 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment from Provo, Utah, after an embarrassing scoring attempt against the defensive giant.
But it wasn't totally the "Shawn Bradley Show" under the basket. First Lt. Adam Wachob, from Jackson Hole, Wyo., performed a well executed fake on the eager shot blocker and scored an easy, high percentage basket.
"It's a good thing that I have that last shot on video, otherwise none of my friends would believe I scored on Shawn Bradley in the low post," said Wachob after a round of raucous applause from his fellow Paratroopers.
The trash talking between the Geronimo's and NBA players continued throughout the shooting games and the 3-on-3 tournament.
"We always let you guys win the first game, but after that, we turn it up, because we still hate to lose," boasted Greg Minor before the 3-on-3 tournament.
The "cooks" from Company Echo, 725th Brigade Support Battalion had other plans for the trio. They brought their 'A' game and schooled the seasoned vets with dizzying passes, blazing cuts to the basket, and bombs dropped from outside the arc.
The NBA players' stay ended with a bang when they participated in a scheduled fire mission.
"It was difficult to keep up with Shawn Bradley on the way down to the mortar pit...he was pretty pumped to get to shoot mortars," said Capt. Dustin Potter, Fire Support Officer for the Geronimo's.
"I'm going to tell my grandpa that I fired a mortar round in combat, he'll be jealous - he served in the Army and never got to do this," Shawn Bradley added.
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2007 11:40 |
| Story ID: | 10956 |
| Location: | ISKANDARIYAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 701 |
| Downloads: | 398 |
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