KFOR female team plays friendly basketball game with Ferizaj/Urosevac women

 KFOR female team plays friendly basketball game with Ferizaj/Urosevac women
 
CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo - An All-Star women's youth basketball team from
 nearby Ferizaj/Urosevac came to Camp Bondsteel Feb. 21 to play a friendly
 game of basketball against a team of top-notch female Soldiers from
 Multi-National Battle Group-East (MNBG-E).
 
The game was set up by the Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) office on
 base. 
 
"We are trying to build camaraderie and have competitive fun through
 sportsmanship," said Jay Debouse, the MWR sports programmer at Camp
 Bondsteel.
 
The office had previously set up a men's basketball game in December and
 decided to set up a women's game as well. They used their contacts with the
 men's team to find a women's team to play. The Ferizaj/Urosevac team,
 comprising 17- to 19-year olds, had come on base before to play past
 rotations of KFOR.
 
"I've played here two times," said Alberte Kurti, 17, a player from the
 Ferizaj/Urosevac team. "I enjoy playing here. I like the American girls."
 
The enjoyment of the game extended to the American team as well.
 
"It was fun," said Staff Sgt. Vanessa Imdieke, an American soldier who
 participated in the game. "All the girls were pretty young. It was good to
 see their passion."
 
The Ferizaj/Urosevac team's usual opponents are teams from other cities in
 Kosovo. Basketball is a popular sport in Kosovo, according to Gentiana
 Ismali, 17, another player from the Ferizaj/Urosevac team.
 
The game was a good opportunity to help the team improve and come together
 as a unit. Ismali said that when they play the American girls they play with
 more "power." 
 
That power led the Ferizaj/Urosevac team to a 40-31 win over the Americans.
 
"It was a good game," said Spc. Jennifer Greff, who played on the American
 team. "They definitely looked like they've played together."
 
"It felt good to win," Ismali said.
 
A men's game against a team of Camp Bondsteel men's All-Star players
 followed the women's game.
 --
 Multi-National Battle Group - East is a U.S- led task force commanded by
 Brig. Gen. Al Dohrmann. This Battle Group is comprised of nearly 2,200
 Soldiers, including Task Force Hellas and Task Force POL/UKR
 (Polish/Ukraine). The charter mission of MNBG-E is maintaining a Safe and
 Secure Environment and providing Freedom of Movement for the people in
> Kosovo.
 
Please contact the MNBG-E Public Affairs office for media engagements or to
 follow-up on this information.
 
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Cut lines:
 
20100221-A-3045B-083: A player from the women's basketball team from
 Ferizaj/Urosevac, Kosovo, lines up for a free throw during a friendly game
 against a group of Camp Bondsteel women on Feb. 21.
 
20100221-A-3045B-051: U.S. KFOR Soldier Spc. Jennifer Greff gets ready to
 inbound the ball after a stop in play during a friendly game played on Camp
 Bondsteel against a local team of All-Star women players from
 Ferizaj/Urosevac, Kosovo, on Feb. 21.
 
20100221-A-3045B-045: Members of the women's basketball team from
 Ferizaj/Urosevac, Kosovo, who played on Camp Bondsteel on Feb. 21, watch the
 action on the court during a game against a group of Camp Bondsteel players.