(WKYT) – La Familia’s run at a $2 million prize ended in heartbreak Sunday afternoon as Davis Steel defeated the Kentucky alumni team 67-59 in the championship game of The Basketball Tournament (TBT) at Memorial Coliseum.
Davis Steel, formerly known as Eberlein Drive, controlled the contest from the outset, capitalizing on La Familia’s poor shooting and a disastrous afternoon at the free-throw line to capture the winner-take-all tournament crown.
Bowling Green, KY. native Terry Taylor paced the victors with a game-high performance, scoring 20 points by the end of the third quarter to keep Davis Steel comfortably ahead. Gabe York added double-digit scoring support, leading an offense that consistently found answers to La Familia’s defensive pressure.
For La Familia, the defeat was doubly bitter. Not only did they miss out on the multi-million dollar purse in front of a packed home crowd of Big Blue Nation faithful, but they fell to the same program that eliminated them from the tournament last summer. Davis Steel, a Russell Springs, Kentucky-based manufacturer, also previously served as La Familia’s team sponsor before switching allegiances this year.
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La Familia struggled to establish any offensive rhythm early, falling behind 17-9 in the first quarter after shooting a dismal 22.2% from the field. Though they managed to trim a double-digit deficit down to six points at halftime, trailing 32-26, they could never quite pull even.
A persistent issue throughout the afternoon was La Familia’s struggles at the charity stripe. The Wildcats alumni missed 14 free throws over the course of the game, including a frustrating 9-for-19 (38.5%) mark in the third quarter alone that stalled multiple potential rallies.
Davis Steel pushed its lead to as many as 15 points in the third quarter, entering the final frame with a 52-40 cushion.
By the time the Elam Ending was triggered, the target score was set to 67 with Davis Steel leading 59-47. Despite a late push by La Familia to close the gap to single digits, Davis Steel secured the final eight points needed to cross the finish line and secure the championship.
La Familia was led by Archie Goodwin, who entered the day leading the tournament in scoring but was held to just 11 points through three quarters. Willie Cauley-Stein anchored the paint with eight points and nine rebounds, while Sean McNeil added five points in the loss.