FORT MOORE, Ga.  -  Three former Coast Guard Academy basketball players competed at the annual Armed Forces Basketball Championships in early October, with Noah Baldez, Jack Brunswick, and Kira Wood suiting up for the All-Navy men's and women's teams at the competition.

The double round-robin tournament took place from the 3rd of October to the 10th at Fort Moore in Georgia, with all games being played at the base's fitness center. Competing teams and players represented the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy, with the Air Force team including Space Force players and the Navy team including players from the Coast Guard.

Baldez, a 2020 graduate, and Brunswick, a 2022 graduate, helped the All-Navy men's team to a 5-2 week and a championship win. The duo combined for 87 points over their team's seven games. Baldez's best performance of the tournament was on October 7th in a 71-62 win over the All-Air Force team, in which his 11 points were the second most for the All-Navy squad; Brunswick's best game came just a day later vs. the All-Army team, against whom he scored a game-leading 16 points.

"It was great seeing both Noah and Jack back on the floor competing," said Coast Guard head men's basketball coach Kevin Jaskiewicz, who guided Baldez and Brunswick during their Coast Guard playing careers. "The fact that they were a part of a winning effort was no surprise. They both know how to compete at a high level."

"It helped me grow my love for the game again because ever since the end of my last season at the Academy in 2020, I've been slowly falling out of love with it. Playing with high-caliber ball players again was exactly what I needed," said Baldez. "I may have been a little out of the groove and rusty, but being able to compete against other well-coached, disciplined players was the spark I needed to truly enjoy playing the game of basketball again."

"Being around amazing people is what makes you better on and off the court. The best part of the experience was being with a group that truly cared for each other, ate meals together, and hung out every chance we had," remarked Brunswick, who played alongside Baldez when Coast Guard won the 2019-20 NEWMAC Championship. "That type of brotherhood is rare even in high-level programs like this, so I am thankful to have been part of the 2024 team."

The All-Navy women's team didn't enjoy the same success as their counterparts, going 1-6 on the week, but Wood proved to be one of the squad's key players. The 2024 graduate scored a team-leading 22 points in a 54-97 loss to the All-Army team on October 5th and outdid that performance a day later by scoring 23 in a 60-68 loss to the All-Marine Corps team. Wood also scored a team third-best 14 points in the All-Navy squad's only win of the tournament, a 72-69 victory over the All-Marines on October 9th.

"Playing for the All-Navy women's basketball team was an incredible opportunity and a ton of fun," reflected Wood. "Getting to bond with members of the other services over a shared love for basketball was extremely rewarding. I am so grateful to have a place that I can continue to play competitively and fuel my love for the game."

Wood's play also garnered praise from a former coach.

"Our program is proud of Kira Wood for making the Navy women's basketball team and participating in the Armed Forces event in Georgia. Kira had a phenomenal playing career for the Coast Guard Academy, making great use of only three years playing due to COVID," said Coast Guard women's basketball head coach Alex Ivansheck. "In three years of competing, she was a 1,000-point scorer, breaking into 9th on the all-time scoring list with 1,084 points, 12th all-time in assists with 209, and 4th in three-point attempts made with 198. We were happy to see Kira continue competing in the sport she loves while serving her country as an officer in the Coast Guard. It was no surprise to us that she was selected as one of the top players of the event and will go on to play on the USA team and compete in Belgium in a few weeks. We look forward to watching her play and represent the USA in Belgium!

Wood's overall performance netted her an All-Tournament Team selection, recognizing her as one of the top 12 players in the competition. She and Baldez were also selected to represent Team USA at the upcoming Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) International Basketball Tournament in Mons, Belgium, which takes place from December 1st through 7th.