While the NBA continues to ramp up in its Orlando bubble, The Basketball Tournament has provided a respite for hoops enthusiasts over the last ten days. The $1 million, winner-take-all tournament began on July 4 and, because of COVID-19 considerations, the entire field entered a fully quarantined bubble in Columbus, Ohio for the duration of the proceedings. On Tuesday evening, the always-entertaining TBT came to its conclusion in competitive fashion, with the Golden Eagles ultimately securing both the competitive glory and the seven-figure team prize.
The Golden Eagles, a squad comprised of former Marquette standouts, made an impressive run to the finals in 2019 before falling just short, while Sideline Cancer pulled off a Cinderella run to make the finals as the No. 22 seed in the tournament, including a walk-off three-pointer to down four-time champion Overseas Elite in the semifinal. In appropriate fashion, the two teams put on quite a show in the finals, even if the early going was a bit ominous for the underdog.
The eventual champs took an 8-0 lead out of the gate, threatening to put some significant space between them and the challengers.
A quick 8-0 run for @GoldenEaglesTBT to start the game!!
pic.twitter.com/OIY6KrYstC
— TBT (@thetournament) July 14, 2020
Not to be outdone, Sideline Cancer put together a quick 9-2 run to close the gap and makes things (quite) interesting.
Jamel Artis finishes the break AND ONE
@SidelineTBT @melartis1 pic.twitter.com/wGKPwnN4dk
— TBT (@thetournament) July 14, 2020
Withstanding the early haymaker from the Golden Eagles, Sideline Cancer actually took a one-point lead after the first quarter and, in short, the entire game was closely contested. Mo Creek made one of the highlights of the night with a sneaky, heads-up play to beat the halftime buzzer and give Sideline Cancer a one-point lead at the break.
https://twitter.com/thetournament/status/1283188350413938693?s=20
It was more of the same in the second half, with neither team able to pull away. In fact, the Elam Ending was set with the two teams tied at 70-70, meaning the first team to score eight points (and reach the 78-point mark) would claim the million-dollar payday.
Once the target score was set, the two teams continued to trade blows, with impressive shotmaking as the conclusion approached.
MARCUS KEENE IS CLUTCH@SidelineTBT pic.twitter.com/6WuJ7q9bss
— TBT (@thetournament) July 15, 2020
https://twitter.com/thetournament/status/1283200369796034561?s=20
Finally, 38-year-old former Marquette guard Travis Diener knocked down the game-winner on a corner three-pointer to give the team its first TBT title ever.
TRAVIS DIENER FOR $1 MILLION!!!!!!!!!!!
The @GoldenEaglesTBT are your TBT 2020 CHAMPIONS pic.twitter.com/rFQj9kEBFG
— TBT (@thetournament) July 15, 2020
Following the walk-off winner, former Marquette stars Dwyane Wade and Jae Crowder offered their congratulations.
Let Go Marquette!!!!!!!!!!!!! @thetournament Champs!!!!!
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) July 15, 2020
CONGRATULATIONS @GoldenEaglesTBT WELL DESERVED.!!!
— JAE CROWDER (@CJC9BOSS) July 15, 2020
Diener was the hero of the night, with Darius Johnson-Odom later named the MVP of the tournament after scoring 15 points in the final and averaging more than 17 points per game in the event. Overall, though, it was a full team effort for the Golden Eagles and, after coming tantalizingly close in 2019, the collection of (mostly) former Marquette standouts pulled off quite a run in cutting down the nets in Columbus.