Ohio State's alumni basketball team made it to the semifinal round of The Basketball Tournament over the summer, and the generated interest in the former Buckeyes could bring TBT to Columbus in 2018.
As first reported by Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch, the city of Columbus, with help from the Greater Columbus Sports Commission, has submitted a bid to host regional rounds of TBT in 2018, with games proposed to be played at Capital University's Capital Center.
Scoonie Penn, director of player development for the Ohio State basketball team and head coach of the Buckeyes' alumni team in TBT, has been the main advocate for the tournament coming to Columbus, according to the Dispatch.
Team Scarlet and Gray advanced all the way to the semis of the 2017 tournament, led by former Buckeyes such as Jared Sullinger, Aaron Craft and David Lighty, just to name a few. Should Columbus be awarded the regional games, Capital University would host eight games on a Saturday and four the following day.
The Basketball Tournament is a 64-team, single-elimination tournament that features a plethora of former college and even NBA players. The prize for winning the tournament is $2 million.
