Scarlet Sunrise: Jared Sullinger to play for Carmen's Crew, roster now officially set
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Jared Sullinger to play for Carmen’s Crew, roster now officially set
Jared Sullinger won’t be coaching Carmen’s Crew this year. That’s because, for the first time since 2018, he’ll be playing in The Basketball Tournament (TBT).
Sullinger coached Carmen’s Crew, Ohio State men’s basketball’s unofficial alumni team, to a TBT championship in 2019. Now he’s throwing his hat back in the ring as a player, giving the squad’s 2024 roster some Thad Matta flavor.
From winning Ohio Mr. Basketball twice to earning first-team All-Big Ten honors twice and becoming a two-time consensus All-American in 2011-12, Sullinger emerged as an in-state basketball legend more than a decade ago.
The big man played only two seasons at Ohio State, but that was enough for him to make his mark. As Big Ten Freshman of the Year, he averaged a double-double (17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game). The following season, he nearly accomplished that feat again, putting up 17.5 points — while making 13 additional 3-pointers — and 9.2 boards per contest.
Ohio State was the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament Sullinger’s first year with the program. But the Columbus native experienced a deeper March Madness run the next season. After bowing out in the Sweet 16 as a freshman, he helped the Buckeyes reach the Final Four as a sophomore.
Sullinger then declared for the NBA Draft. The Boston Celtics picked him No. 21 overall. Sullinger spent 2012-16 with the Celtics, averaging double-digit points three of those four seasons, before playing one year with the Toronto Raptors and then launching a still-ongoing career overseas.
With Sullinger’s decision to play in TBT this year, Carmen’s Crew’s 2024 roster is officially set:
- F Andre Wesson Jr. (Ohio State)
- C Kaleb Wesson (Ohio State)
- F/C Jared Sullinger (Ohio State)
- F Kyle Young (Ohio State)
- F CJ Penha Jr. (Trevecca Nazarene and Boston College)
- G Desonta Bradford (East Tennessee State)
- G Erick Neal (UT-Arlington)
- G Jamel Morris (Glenville State and Fairmont State)
- F Jeff Gibbs (Otterbein)
- G Keyshawn Woods (Charlotte, Wake Forest and Ohio State)
- F Scott Thomas (Bowling Green)
- F Tevin Glass (Wichita State and East Tennessee State)
Following a year off, Carmen’s Crew returned to TBT in 2023 in pursuit of the winner-take-all, $1 million prize with a new look. The roster included five players from now-former Buckeyes head coach Chris Holtmann’s tenure: Young, the Wesson brothers, C.J. Jackson and Keyshawn Woods, all of whom played for Ohio State at some point between 2017 and 2022.
The group reached the TBT regional final in Dayton last year, thanks to wins over Team Overtime and India Rising.
Originally known as “Scarlet & Gray,” Carmen’s Crew won TBT and, at the time, the $2 million, winner-take-all prize in 2019. Back then, the team was led by players from the Matta era, including the likes of Aaron Craft, David Lighty and Jon Diebler.
While Carmen’s Crew is now led by a handful of Holtmann-coached Buckeyes alumni, Sullinger is giving this year’s team a bit of that Matta feel. Meanwhile, the team will be coached by Northern Illinois alum Leon Rodgers with one-time Ohio State standout and current Buckeyes recruiting coordinator Terence Dials on the bench as an assistant.
Carmen’s Crew kicks off TBT play Saturday at 7 p.m. against Purple Hearts in Dayton. The game will be broadcast on The Big Ten Network.
Toronto Raptors sign Jamison Battle following strong start to NBA Summer League
The Toronto Raptors signed Jamison Battle Tuesday night.
The financial terms of the contract were not officially disclosed Tuesday night, but, according to Sportsnet’s Blake Murphy, the Raptors inked Battle to an Exhibit 10 deal. An Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, minimum salary agreement that’s not guaranteed but can include a bonus that’s rewarded if a player is waived and spends at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate.
Battle has made a good first impression in the pros with back-to-back efficient performances in NBA Summer League action.
So far in Las Vegas, Battle is shooting 8-of-12, or 66.7%, from the field and 5-of-8, or 62.5%, from deep.
For more details on his signing, go here.
Jermaine Mathews using experience, patience learned last year to fuel breakout
Because of the talent, and experience, in front of him on the depth chart, Ohio State cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. probably won’t get the starting nod in 2024, at least barring injury.
But after his head-turning true freshman campaign — during which he started his first career game while Denzel Burke was sidelined and, before that, showed out in a top-10 game against Penn State — there’s no question Mathews has a role in the Buckeyes’ defense.
“He’s been extremely important for the growth of our secondary,” secondary/cornerbacks coach Tim Walton said earlier this offseason. “Because now we working him inside some. He’s playing outside at both corner spots. He got that ‘it factor.’ So we love what he brings, the energy, the competitiveness.
“We got to build off last year and expand the role for him and make sure he’s ready to go.”
For the full story on how Mathews is using his experience and growing patience to fuel a future breakout, head on over here.
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