[ChewyParticipant]

 I’ve watched this tournament each year and I have to say the quality of play has gone up each year. The rise of college alumni teams has led to better executed offense and more team defense.

The refs are doing a great job IMO. They let a lot more talking and small stuff go then they do in college. These guys are grown men now, so I like that they are treating them like professionals rather than 20 years old. I’ve also seen the refs go after players and shut them down when they get to aggressive/mouthy. This has helped keep the games competitive, but not dirty.

Scarlet and Gray (Ohio State Alumni) has steadily won each game with their trademark B10 style defense. Aaron Craft seems to never make a bad decision on the basketball court. Bufford and Diebler are hitting shots. Sullinger is carrying them and this team is smart enough to give him the ball almost every other time down the court. Lighty has some nice dunks and is looking to post up other guards like a "power" shooting guard type role. Greg Oden was scheduled and marketed to be a part of this team, but so far has been a no show. Shout out to Scoonie Penn, coach of this team, being added to the new OSU coaching staff. In the Final 4.

Golden Eagles (Marquette Alumni) lost to OSU. With guards like Buykes, Akers, McNeal, Chapman and DJO you would think guard play would be their strength. But no one could shoot it today. Devonte Gardner who has steadily dominated the last 2 years in this tourny struggled to score over Sully today.

Team FOE (Philly Area/Kansas Jayhawk mash up). Coached by Morris twins and Thomas Robinson. Malik Waynes is the leader of this balanced team production wise. The Villanova guard has produced each and every game. Tyshawn Taylor and Elijah Johnson have been solid. Markus Kennedy (SMU) had a double double in the first half and was the main front court foce for Team FOE. Mychael Thompson hit some shots, but thought he would shoot more against this zone. Mario Little looked great. He has way more offense than what I saw at KU. I don’t know if he has developed a lot, or if Self just forced him into a support role. Looking at him now, he should of been a bigger part of KU’s offense if this was the way he could play. Eliminated by Boeheim’s Army.

Boeheim’s Army (Syracuse Alumni)- Got dominated by Team FOE in the first half. They had to come out of their trademark 2-3 zone. Dontee Greene looks good, but is playing lazy. Devendorf and Triche have been great for this team. So much so that Cooney, who I like, hasn’t played very much. CJ Fair has been a ghost all tounrament. He was so good his senior year at Cuse that I thought he would score at will in this tourny. So far the exact opposite has happened. Rick Jackson is playing like a man amoungst boys and has been a defensive rock for the 2-3. Down by as much as 14 in the 2nd half, they pulled off the comeback to enter the final 4.

2 time defending champions Overseas Elite are playing a VCU Alumni team.

Armoured Athletes (B10 loaded) lost to Challenge ALS (Casper Ware and Austin Daye)

I really like how this tournament is run, how it is improving in quality and that it gives me some extra summer basketball to watch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BasterdInABasketParticipant]

 Mid to late summer used to be a pretty full time in the basketball world I years past. It’s really been year round though this year with FA and trade rumors still going, TBT and Big 3 going on it’s great to have something to follow other than baseball.

[Bankroll PJParticipant]

 Off topic and out of place, but I would love it if there was a professional flag football league televised during this time of the year as well.  I think it’d be extremely successful, especially since so many guys are retiring early during to brain/concussion concerns. 

[ChewyParticipant]

 Overseas wins as an underdog, then next year adds Deandre Kane and wins again. This time they add Justin Burrell and Dejuan Blair. This team keeps getting better. Kyle Fogg and Blair kept them in the game the 1st half. DJ Kennedy has been their best player for 2 years, but struggled in this game a bit. In the final 4.

Rams Nation- Burgess started the game 6/6 from 3. Reggie Williams shot very well too. Eric Maynor looks lazy and uniterested for someone with someone who has had NBA looks. Larry Sanders can’t stop fouling Blair. Skeen still has a great 3 pt shot.

 

[dcaseParticipant]

 I have really enjoyed the TBT over the past 3 years (ever since Boeheim’s Army entered).

Correction to the original post above.  Boeheim’s Army was down by 25 with  11:40 remaining in the game. Went on a 40-10 run to end the game and advance to the semifinals.  James Southerland carried them offensively in the 2nd half and DaShonte Riley was actually the defensive difference yesterday (Rick Jackson sat most of the 2nd half).

At half with Team FOE up 16…one of the Morris twins (coaching Team FOE) dogged Boeheim’s Army inability to play defense (specifically man to man) during an interview, only to see that defense stifle his offense in the 2nd half.  It was great seeing him eat crow.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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