La Familia is now one win away from taking home The Basketball Tournament’s $2 million grand prize.
Behind another sensational performance from Archie Goodwin, who finished with 28 points on 9-of-17 shooting and 5-of-10 from beyond the 3-point line, the Kentucky alumni defeated JHX Hoops (Kansas Alumni), 78-65, on Wednesday night inside a packed Historic Memorial Coliseum to capture the TBT Alumni Championship and advance to Sunday’s winner-take-all championship game.
The atmosphere was electric from the opening tip. Kansas held a slim 8-7 advantage at the first media timeout, but Willie Cauley-Stein quickly established himself in the paint with four points and two rebounds. By the end of the first quarter, La Familia had seized a 15-10 lead after Goodwin buried a fading 3-pointer as time expired.
Goodwin continued to take over in the second quarter. He threw down a thunderous dunk following a steal, igniting the Memorial Coliseum crowd as La Familia stretched its lead to double digits. The Wildcats carried a 30-23 advantage into halftime behind Goodwin’s 10 points, while Cauley-Stein and Sean McNeil each added six.
The game turned into a rout during the third quarter.
La Familia’s relentless defense overwhelmed Kansas, outscoring JHX Hoops 21-7 during the period to build a commanding 44-31 lead. The Wildcats forced turnovers, controlled the glass, and fed off the energy of Big Blue Nation throughout the second half.
With the Elam Ending target score set at 77, Goodwin put the finishing touches on another remarkable performance. After banking in a deep 3-pointer to begin the start of the Elam Ending, he later knocked down the game-winning basket, sending the home crowd into celebration.
The victory crowns La Familia as the TBT Alumni Champions and keeps Kentucky’s dream of winning the tournament alive.
Now, only one game remains, as La Familia will face either The Mecca or Davis Steel in the TBT Championship Game on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET inside Historic Memorial Coliseum, with the winner taking home the tournament’s $2 million prize.
Go CATS!!!
