The Basketball Tournament 2020: Can Carmen’s Crew repeat?
COLUMBUS, Ohio (BVM) — The Basketball Tournament (TBT) returned this past weekend for its seventh year, with 24 teams competing in a single-elimination tournament for a $1 million prize. The tournament is being held in Columbus, Ohio, as round of 24 play began on Saturday, with the championship game scheduled for July 14. No spectators are allowed inside Nationwide Arena due to COVID-19, but fans can continue to watch the tournament unfold on the ESPN family of networks.
Despite a different format with less teams in this year’s tournament, the talent may be as good as we’ve seen. That includes what we will see from Carmen’s Crew, the Ohio State University alumni team and No. 1 seed in the tournament bracket.
After making the quarterfinals and semifinals in previous years, Carmen’s Crew finally broke through for their first championship last season. The squad took down powerhouse Overseas Elite in the semifinals, before defeating the Golden Eagles – Marquette University’s alumni team – to earn their first TBT title.
IT'S OVER!!!
William Buford sinks two from the line and @CarmensCrew are your #TBT2019 CHAMPIONS!! pic.twitter.com/eDIMkPmqhK
— TBT (@thetournament) August 7, 2019
But can the crew of primarily former Buckeyes repeat in 2020?
The answer to that question starts with a deeper look into this year’s roster. The team will return last year’s tournament MVP, William Buford, who averaged nearly 18 points per game in the championship run. They also bring back David Lighty, a player with a similar skillset, who contributed 17 points in the 2019 championship game.
Big Ten fans will certainly remember the name Aaron Craft, as the savvy guard is back for his final year of play with some of his former teammates as well. Craft has played professionally in Italy in recent years, but retired after this season to be able to go back to OSU and attend medical school.
Another notable alum returning to the roster includes sharp-shooter Jon Diebler. Meanwhile, former Illinois guard Demetri McCamey – yet another name well-known in Big Ten basketball circles – is an added returning scorer who will look to make an impact for Carmen’s Crew.
But what may put the team over the hump in their quest for back-to-back titles is the new additions to this year’s squad.
Former Ohio State big man Dallas Lauderdale will go from coaching on the sidelines as an assistant to head coach Jared Sullinger, to playing on the hardwood this season. Meanwhile, former Buckeyes wing Lenzelle Smith Jr. will join the squad as well. But perhaps the team’s most notable addition for this year’s tournament is Smith’s former teammate and former Buckeye standout DeShaun Thomas.
Needless to say, Carmen’s Crew has a roster loaded with talent. Before the tournament started, there had even been rumors former Michigan guard Trey Burke could come play for the team, which would have made this squad even more dominant.
The other factor to look at in the quest to repeat is the path Carmen’s Crew will have to take to win the championship. Being a No. 1 seed means the team earned a first round bye. But it will still take four wins in a row for coach Sullinger’s team to bring home the money once again. That will begin with a matchup Wednesday night against No. 16 seed House of ‘Paign.
House of ‘Paign is made up of primarily Illinois alumni who are quite familiar with many of the guys on Carmen’s Crew. The team also features Texas Tech’s Matt Mooney – who many may remember from the 2019 NCAA Tournament – and South Dakota State alum Mike Daum, one of the top scorers in college basketball during the last decade.
If Carmen’s Crew advances to play a second game, it is likely they face eight-seeded Red Scare, or the nine seed, Big X. A matchup against Red Scare – Dayton University’s alumni team – would set up an in-state rivalry matchup of sorts, featuring players who just played for the Flyers this past season in Trey Landers and Ryan Mikesell.
A matchup with Big X would again bring a lot of familiarity, as their team features several Big Ten alumni, specifically from Wisconsin and Ohio State – including Andrew Dakich, Keyshawn Woods, and C.J. Jackson.
It is hard to predict what will happen past the first couple rounds, but if chalk holds true, Carmen’s Crew will set up a 2019 championship rematch with the Golden Eagles in this year’s semifinals. Marquette’s alumni team remains similar with a core of Dwight Buycks, Jamil Wilson, and Travis Diener. But this year the team adds a scoring punch in former Marquette star Darius Johnson-Odom. Big man Luke Fischer will also join this year’s team and help balance out the squad.
A Carmen’s Crew vs. Golden Eagles rematch would be all we could ask for. But if the Ohio State alumni do advance to the championship game yet again, we might see a couple great matchups for the ultimate prize.
The first could come against No. 3 seed Boeheim’s Army. As you can probably guess, this team is made up of primarily Syracuse alumni, including Brandon Triche, Malachi Richardson, and Tyler Lydon. But what may ultimately be the best matchup for the championship game would be a 2019 semifinal rematch between Carmen’s Crew and Overseas Elite.
Overseas Elite has dominated the young existence of the TBT, winning titles in four straight tournaments prior to last season. The team is out for revenge and while they maintain a talented core that features DeAndre Kane and D.J. Kennedy, they may have made the biggest splash addition of this year’s tournament, adding seven-time NBA All-Star Joe Johnson to the fold.
Carmen’s Crew’s biggest challenge is likely Overseas Elite, and if they get upset before the championship game, the team’s path to back-to-back championships gets easier. But the hope for fans is that the bracket holds serve, as a No. 1 vs. No. 2 championship game would be fun to watch.
The Golden Eagles, Overseas Elite and a host of others have put together championship contending teams this year, but the Buckeyes have enough talent to match them. With play being held in Columbus, having a core that has stayed together, and having championship experience in this tournament, Carmen’s Crew is the top seed for a reason.
Despite a potentially tough four-game stretch, the new impact additions to the roster like Smith Jr. and Thomas make the Ohio State alumni this year’s favorites. They will undoubtedly be tested, but Carmen’s Crew has as good a chance as any to take home the 2020 TBT title.