Scarlet Sunrise: Carmen's Crew reaches TBT title game with victory over La Familia
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Carmen’s Crew reaches TBT title game with victory over La Familia
Carmen’s Crew is headed back to a TBT title game. Led by Jared Sullinger’s 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists, Ohio State’s unofficial alumni team edged La Familia, Kentucky’s unofficial alumni team, 76-70, Friday night at Daskalakis Athletic Center in Philadelphia.
While Carmen’s Crew features five former Buckeyes this year, a handful of players on the team spent their college days elsewhere. That’s especially clear in the backcourt, where Desonta Bradford (East Tennessee State) and Jamel Morris (Glenville State and Fairmont State) have starred for the squad during this summer run.
It was Morris who lifted Carmen’s Crew to another TBT Championship appearance.
He came off a dribble handoff from Sullinger, moved to the top of the arc and dialed up the Elam Ending 3-pointer. His lefty stroke delivered a perfect shot that smoothly dropped through the net before he was swarmed by his Carmen’s Crew teammates.
La Familia came into the matchup as the favorite, particularly since the group was fresh off an impressive win over The Ville, Louisville’s unofficial alumni team. Represented by the Harrison twins (Andrew and Aaron), Eric Bledsoe and Willie Cauley-Stein, La Familia brought plenty of big-name flavor to TBT this year.
Those four combined for 45 of the team’s 70 points Friday night, but former Xavier forward Kerem Kanter led the way with 17 points and seven rebounds.
Morris’ clutch 3-pointer gave him 11 points on the night, and Bradford chipped in 15 points. Bradford and Morris combined for five triples, and, for the second game in a row, Carmen’s Crew shot the ball remarkably well from downtown, finishing the outing 14-of-33, or 42.4%, from 3-point land.
Carmen’s Crew built a 40-27 halftime lead, but some second-half foul trouble helped La Familia find its way back into the game.
Nevertheless, Carmen’s Crew held on and will now face Houston’s alumni team, Forever Coogs, at 2 p.m. on Sunday. The winner gets $1 million in prize money.
Carmen’s Crew is one win away from its second TBT title, and first since 2019.
Counting Down
Buckeyes vs. Akron: 28 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 119 days
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