The sound of leather touching nylon on a rainbow 3-pointer never rang sweeter for Carmen's Crew than on Friday night.
Jamel Morris came off a screen, set up a good five feet behind the arc from the top of the key and nailed a 3-pointer to send Carmen's Crew to the Championship Game of The Basketball Tournament with a 76-70 win over La Familia, Kentucky's alumni team.
| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #3 CARMEN'S CREW | 14 | 26 | 17 | 19 | 76 |
| #2 LA FAMILIA | 10 | 17 | 21 | 22 | 70 |
Jared Sullinger led the way for the team he led the charge in putting together, scoring 16 points and pulling in seven rebounds. Desonta Bradford was his top partner in crime with 15 points.
BUCKEYES TAKE DOWN LA FAMILIA TO ADVANCE TO THE @thetournament FINAL
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) August 3, 2024
LETS GOOO @CarmensCrew pic.twitter.com/ouN6qtCXKA
Ohio State's alumni squad built a large first-half lead and held on to defeat a team featuring two former NBA stars, Willie Cauley-Stein and Eric Bledsoe. La Familia had been dominant throughout The Basketball Tournament, winning their first four games by an average of 19.5 points.
Carmen's Crew took the teeth out of that buzzsaw in the second quarter.
Kaleb Wesson got going in that frame to help maintain a 14-10 first-period lead, showcasing his athleticism on a drive to the rim for an easy deuce and knocking down a triple from the left wing. Pretty soon the Ohio State alumni got hot as a whole, as Scott Thomas and Desonta Bradford hit left-side threes within mere seconds of each other to push their advantage out to 11 at 34-23.
Thomas kept things moving with another 3-pointer, a steal and an outlet pass to Jared Sullinger for a layup. That boosted Carmen's Crew to a 40-27 halftime edge.
Buckeyes came to play @CarmensCrew on top by 13 halfway through this one #GoBucks | #DevelopedHerepic.twitter.com/3U96kyV4gj
— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) August 3, 2024
Sullinger opened the second half with a triple to give the team its largest advantage of the game at 43-27, but soon La Familia worked its way back into the contest with a 9-0 run. Keyshawn Woods answered with a 3-pointer. The two sides traded buckets until the third quarter ended and Carmen's Crew entered the final period with a 57-48 lead.
Foul trouble hurt Carmen's Crew early in the fourth quarter, picking up three in rapid succession as Kaleb Wesson picked up his fifth with less than eight minutes to play. Kerem Kanter cut the lead to five on a strong layup in the post.
When La Familia cut the lead to four, however, Wesson reentered the game to nail a triple – only to immediately foul out on the next defensive possession. That led to a 3-point play the old-fashioned way and Carmen's Crew entered the Elam Ending with a target score of 76 leading 68-64.
Desonta Bradford hit a triple to give Carmen’s Crew a five-point cushion after La Familia cut the lead to 70-68. Kanter tipped back in a missed shot to make it a three-point game again, but Morris' dagger closed the contest from there.
Carmen's Crew will face Forever Coogs, Houston's alumni team, with a TBT title and $1 million prize on the line at 2 p.m. on Sunday. A win would grant Carmen's Crew its second TBT title after it won the tournament in 2019. FOX will broadcast the affair.
