(Twitter)
It got a little dramatic at the end, but Overseas Elite held on for a 67-65 victory over Team 23 in the championship game of The Basketball Tournament on Sunday afternoon.
But while the victory itself was pretty nice, the $1 million prize money was even better.
Former St. John’s standout DJ Kennedy led all players with a game-high 24 points. He told A Daly Dose of Hoops, “My teammates told me they were going to need me. I knew it was a big game, so I wanted to get a good start from the jump. It’s not just big for us, it’s bigger for (St. John’s). They’ve got a heck of an alumni base, that’s big for our alma mater.” Kennedy, who played for the Red Storm from 2007-2011, got his team moving early with some solid moves driving the lane. Check it out:
Joining Kennedy on the tournament-winning roster were Paris Horne, another former Johnny, as well as Travis Bader, Kyle Fogg, Jhondre Jefferson, Myck Kabongo, Shane Lawal, Errick McCollum II and Todd O’Brien. The players will split their $1 million prize money. Team 23 made it a one point game in the final seconds of the championship matchup but couldn’t get the shot off on their final possession, giving the Overseas Elite the victory.
Coming into the championship game, Errick McCollum, the older brother of Portland TrailBlazers guard C.J., was leading his team with just over 20 points per game. Only days before the tournament started, Overseas Elite had just four players on its roster and Horne was quoted after the game, saying the victory was “unbelievable.” He added, telling A Daly Dose of Hoops, “This is probably the biggest win I’ve ever had.”