Spc. John W. Capers III, orderly room clerk assigned to the 4th Infantry Division Mission Command Element, sharpens his skills during basketball practice at the Baumholder Hall of Champions Fitness Center Feb. 3, 2016. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Diandra J. Harrell)
By Staff Sgt. Diandra J. Harrell
4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
BAUMHOLDER, Germany — A 4th Infantry Division Soldier proved his hoops game is just as strong on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean as it as at home.
Spc. John W. Capers III, an orderly room clerk who has been serving as part of the division’s Mission Command Element in Germany since November, led the Baumholder basketball team to the title at the Tournament of Champions Feb. 12-15, 2016, at U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart while earning MVP honors.
“It was awesome that all his hard work paid off,” said Master Sgt. Cleveland Sweat, first sergeant, 4th Inf. Div. MCE.
This was USAG Stuttgart’s 17th annual and final Tournament of Champions that attracts military teams from all over Germany. This year’s tournament consisted of eight male teams and six female teams throughout U.S. Army Europe.
Capers, from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and his team played six games during the four-day event.
“I’m still trying to recover from the tournament,” said Capers, who added that the competition was “fierce.”
“There were about five games where I thought we weren’t going to win,” he said. “(In the final game), we were up by 15 points, then we were down 10, and I thought, ‘Here we go again.’”
But Capers pushed through the doubts and led the Baumholder team back from the deficit.
“There weren’t many players available, and I got back out there and scored the last 10 to 12 points that won the final game,” he said.
His perseverance at the end of the game earned him tournament MVP honors.
“It was physically draining but still a great experience to work with the guys on the team. Even though we were facing adversity at the end, we still pushed through and took home the trophy,” he said.