John Fanta
Faculty Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It was an evening 11 years within the making, one that can stay on ceaselessly within the historical past of The Basketball Event. A complete of 13,506 followers – together with 12-time NBA All-Star and TBT companion Chris Paul – packed Freedom Corridor on Monday evening to look at the matchup between La Familia and The Ville, which featured 11 former NBA gamers.
The echoes have been awoken from a spot Louisville basketball hasn’t referred to as dwelling in 14 years, however in the long run, it was silence from the ocean of purple. Former Kentucky standout Andrew Harrison, the dual of fellow La Familia teammate and legendary UK shotmaker Aaron Harrison, put his stamp on the Battle of the Bluegrass State with a game-winning triple to seal a 70-61 win over The Ville and e book a visit to Friday’s semifinals (7/9 p.m. ET on FS1).
For Kentucky, which fielded an alumni staff for the second time in TBT historical past, this 12 months was about avenging a first-round exit of their first-ever look within the occasion again in 2019. Basic supervisor Twany Beckham and head coach Tyler Ulis, who’s following John Calipari to Arkansas after The Basketball Event concludes, have completed simply that and now stand two wins away from $1 million.
La Familia will head to the semifinals and tackle 2019 TBT champion Carmen’s Crew, the Ohio State alumni staff, which made an enormous assertion Monday evening with a 90-74 victory over Takeover BC. At one level, Jared Sullinger and the Buckeyes led by 40. It is going to be a troublesome check for La Familia once they go up towards the band of Buckeyes on Friday evening in Philadelphia.
Listed below are three takeaways from Monday evening’s TBT motion:
1. Willie Cauley-Stein balled out and Nate Sestina’s capturing was the distinction for La Familia
The 30-year-old Cauley-Stein, who performed seven seasons within the NBA and was a consensus first-team All-American on Kentucky’s legendary 38-1 staff in 2014-15 that bowed out within the Last 4, stated heading into TBT that he wanted the power of Huge Blue Nation in his life to supply a spark in his basketball profession. With the intense lights on him Monday, Cauley-Stein confirmed why he is a Kentucky fan favourite, going for 20 factors, 9 rebounds and 4 steals, all whereas capturing 8-of-9 from downtown. His defensive exercise was off the charts and the quantity of strain the 2016 NBA All-Rookie choice placed on the rim modified the sport. In a matchup with 2020 NBA Sixth Man of the 12 months Montrezl Harrell, Cauley-Stein had the final phrase and managed the paint scoring.
The distinction in Monday evening’s rivalry win for La Familia, although, was Nate Sestina. The 2024 Turkish Tremendous League champion proved that TBT spotlights a number of the greatest expertise from throughout the globe. In a sport the place each groups struggled to shoot within the first half, the 6-foot-9 Sestina sparked a 26-11 third quarter in favor of the Kentucky alumni, occurring a private 9-0 run at one level. He completed with 22 factors and eight rebounds, capturing 6-for-14 from downtown.
2. Carmen’s Crew has the items to win a second TBT title
Sullinger has not performed in TBT since 2018, however the former two-time first-team All-American was satisfied by his youngsters to hit the hardwood in a Buckeyes uniform once more. After teaching the Ohio State alumni to The Basketball Event crown 5 years in the past, the 6-9 ahead posted seven factors and 10 rebounds in Monday’s blowout win over Takeover BC.
Ohio State’s alumni staff led 52-25 at halftime, beginning the sport 15-for-30 from 3-point land and seeing 10 totally different gamers rating within the first half. Andre Wesson, who had his Ohio State profession lower quick by COVID-19 in 2020, is having the final phrase now as a Buckeye. The 6-6 wing led the way in which with 16 factors on Monday, whereas level guard and UT-Arlington product Erick Neal posted a dozen factors in a dominant victory. In whole, eight totally different gamers knocked down a triple and the Buckeyes alumni held lead Takeover BC scorer AJ English to 1-for-7 from the ground. Between lockdown protection, scorching capturing and a 44-32 benefit on the glass, Carmen’s Crew confirmed their greatest as they coasted to win No. 4 of their pursuit of $1 million.
3. Monday evening was a celebration of basketball
Almost 14,000 folks have been in an area on a Monday evening in July for a basketball sport. It felt like a winter evening at Freedom Corridor. It completely felt like Louisville and Kentucky.
There was drama on the finish of the sport following the handshake line, however that is to be anticipated. One thing would not be proper with Kentucky and Louisville in the event that they have been cordial after a sport. It was an ideal reminder of what it means to the commonwealth and the way a lot it issues in school basketball. For Kentucky and Louisville, who usher within the Mark Pope and Pat Kelsey eras, respectively, there’s power and hope for what will be beneath new management for each applications, with Kentucky attempting to show a nook in March and Louisville attempting to get the automobile began once more.
On Monday evening, for 2 hours, the nostalgia of TBT and the flexibility of this occasion to create new recollections was on show. It was nice for the game of basketball, and it was good for the way forward for this occasion. With the eyes of the nation watching, it was a reminder that the Cardinals and Wildcats have fashioned one of many high rivalries in school basketball, and The Basketball Event has discovered a window within the ever-chaotic sports activities calendar to turn out to be a summer time basketball custom. The scene on Monday was among the finest I’ve ever seen masking basketball, and it gave us a style of March whereas La Familia reminded everyone that the state continues to belong to Huge Blue Nation.
John Fanta is a nationwide school basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports activities. He covers the game in quite a lot of capacities, from calling video games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Community to offering commentary on The Discipline of 68 Media Community. Comply with him at @John_Fanta.
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