# The Basketball Tournament 2021

The Basketball Tournament 2021 was the eighth edition of The Basketball Tournament (TBT), a 5-on-5, single elimination basketball tournament. The tournament, involving 64 teams, began on July 16 and concluded on August 3 with the championship game in Dayton, Ohio. The format of the tournament returned to that of the 2019 edition—64 teams, each playing in one of four regionals, with the top two teams from each regional progressing to the championship weekend. The tournament was won by Boeheim's Army, who captured the winner-take-all $1 million prize.

## Format

For its 2021 edition, The Basketball Tournament (TBT) returned to a 64-team format, with four regionals of 16 teams each (similar in format to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament), and each regional being held at a single host site. The regional host sites and teams were revealed by TBT organizers on April 14, 2021. The tournament prize remained at $1 million. The teams and their regional placements were revealed in a selection special hosted by Seth Greenberg and Chris Vosters that aired on TBT's YouTube channel on June 21, 2021.
As with previous years, all tournament games operated with the "Elam Ending", a format of ending the game without use of a game clock. Under the Elam Ending, the clock is turned off at the first dead-ball whistle with under four minutes to play in the game. At that time, a target score, equal to the score of the leading team plus eight, is set, and the first team to reach this target score is declared the winner of the game. Thus, all games end on a made basket (field goal or free throw) and there is no overtime.
The first edition of a "33-Point Contest" was held between the two semifinal games—individual players competed to see who could make 11 three-point field goals the fastest. The contest, and prize of $33,333.33, was won by Omar Strong of team B1 Ballers.

## Venues

The Basketball Tournament 2021 featured games in five locations: four regional sites plus one site for the championship weekend (four regional finals, two semifinal contests, and the championship game).
| WichitaCharlestonColumbusPeoriaDayton |
| WichitaCharlestonColumbusPeoriaDayton | Wichita | Charleston | Columbus |
| WichitaCharlestonColumbusPeoriaDayton | Charles Koch Arena | Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center | Covelli Center |
| WichitaCharlestonColumbusPeoriaDayton | Capacity: 10,506 | Capacity: 11,519 | Capacity: 3,700 |
| WichitaCharlestonColumbusPeoriaDayton | Peoria | Dayton | Regional sites Championship site |
| WichitaCharlestonColumbusPeoriaDayton | Peoria Civic Center | University of Dayton Arena | Regional sites Championship site |
| WichitaCharlestonColumbusPeoriaDayton | Capacity: 11,433 | Capacity: 13,435 | Regional sites Championship site |

## Teams

Key: Alumni team representing a specific college basketball program
Source:
Wichita Regional :
| Seed | Team | App. (Last) | Affiliation | Origin of name |
| 1 | Eberlein Drive | 6th (2020) | | Team owners' home street |
| 2 | AfterShocks | 2nd (2019) | Wichita State | Team nickname "Shockers" |
| 3 | Challenge ALS | 5th (2020) | | ALS awareness |
| 4 | LA Cheaters | 2nd (2019) | Drew League | |
| 5 | Florida TNT | 2nd (2019) | | Former college players from the state of Florida |
| 6 | Team Arkansas | 3rd (2019) | Arkansas | |
| 7 | Purple & Black | 5th (2019) | Kansas State | Kansas State school colors |
| 8 | The Enchantment | 1st | New Mexico | State nickname "Land of Enchantment" |
| 9 | Stillwater Stars | 2nd (2020) | Oklahoma State | School location in Stillwater, OK |
| 10 | Omaha Blue Crew | 1st | Creighton | School location in Omaha, NE and primary color |
| 11 | Fort Worth Funk | 1st | TCU | School location in Fort Worth, TX |
| 12 | Kimchi Express | 4th (2018) | |
| 13 | Mental Toughness | 1st | JCK Foundation | Mental health awareness |
| 14 | We Are D3 | 3rd (2019) | NCAA Division III | |
| 15 | Ex-Pats | 1st | Patriot League | Former Patriot League players |
| 16 | NG Saints | 1st | Neumann Goretti HS | |
West Virginia Regional :
| Seed | Team | App. (Last) | Affiliation | Origin of name |
| 1 | Sideline Cancer | 8th (2020) | | Cancer awareness |
| 2 | Best Virginia | 2nd (2019) | West Virginia | |
| 3 | Herd That | 2nd (2020) | Marshall | Team nickname "Thundering Herd" |
| 4 | Armored Athlete | 7th (2020) | | |
| 5 | War Ready | 2nd (2020) | Auburn | School battle cry "War Eagle" |
| 6 | Team 23 | 6th (2019) | | Uniform number worn by Michael Jordan |
| 7 | D2 | 3rd (2020) | NCAA Division II | |
| 8 | PrimeTime Players | 7th (2020) | | |
| 9 | Fort Wayne Champs | 6th (2019) | | Players with connections to Fort Wayne, IN |
| 10 | Bleed Virginia | 1st | | Former mid-major players from Virginia |
| 11 | Georgia Kingz | 1st | | Former college players from Georgia |
| 12 | Bucketneers | 1st | East Tennessee State | Team nickname "Buccaneers" |
| 13 | HBCUnited | 1st | HBCUs | |
| 14 | Team DRC | 3rd (2019) | | Team sponsor Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie |
| 15 | WoCo Showtime | 7th (2019) | Wofford | Abbreviation of Wofford College |
| 16 | Founding Fathers | 1st | James Madison | School namesake and founding father James Madison |
Illinois Regional :
| Seed | Team | App. (Last) | Affiliation | Origin of name |
| 1 | Golden Eagles | 6th (2020) | Marquette | Team nickname "Golden Eagles" |
| 2 | House of 'Paign | 2nd (2020) | Illinois | School location in Champaign, IL |
| 3 | Boeheim's Army | 7th (2020) | Syracuse | Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim |
| 4 | Always Us | 1st | Oregon | Phrase used by Dana Altman |
| 5 | Autism Army | 1st | | Autism awareness |
| 6 | The OverLooked | 1st | Murray State | |
| 7 | Always a Brave | 4th (2018) | Bradley | Team nickname "Braves" |
| 8 | Brotherly Love | 3rd (2020) | | Nickname for Philadelphia |
| 9 | Playing for Jimmy V | 2nd (2019) | V Foundation | Nickname of Jim Valvano |
| 10 | Tubby Time | 1st | | Players coached in college by Tubby Smith |
| 11 | Heartfire | 2nd (2020) | | |
| 12 | SCD Hoops | 1st | | Sickle cell disease awareness |
| 13 | Peoria All-Stars | 5th (2020) | | Players with connections to Peoria, IL |
| 14 | Forces of Seoul | 1st | | Players with pro experience in South Korea |
| 15 | Jackson TN Underdawgs | 5th (2019) | | Players with connections to Jackson, TN |
| 16 | B1 Ballers | 1st | | |
Columbus Regional :
| Seed | Team | App. (Last) | Affiliation | Origin of name |
| 1 | Carmen's Crew | 5th (2020) | Ohio State | School song "Carmen Ohio" |
| 2 | Red Scare | 3rd (2020) | Dayton | Name given to student section |
| 3 | Zip 'Em Up | 1st | Xavier | Former Xavier team motto |
| 4 | Team Hines | 3rd (2020) | | Team player Kyle Hines |
| 5 | The Money Team | 2nd (2020) | | Team sponsor Floyd "Money" Mayweather |
| 6 | Blue Collar U | 1st | Buffalo | Buffalo team color, plus city's blue-collar image |
| 7 | Wolf Blood | 1st | NC State | Team nickname "Wolfpack" |
| 8 | Men of Mackey | 2nd (2020) | Purdue | Purdue home court Mackey Arena |
| 9 | Ballinteers | 1st | Tennessee | Team nickname "Volunteers" |
| 10 | Category 5 | 1st | Miami (FL) | Team name "Hurricanes" and Saffir–Simpson scale |
| 11 | The Nerd Team | 1st | | Players from "more prestigious" universities |
| 12 | The Region | 5th (2019) | | Players from Northwest Indiana, locally called "The Region" |
| 13 | Brown & White | 1st | St. Bonaventure | St. Bonaventure team colors |
| 14 | Ohio 1804 | 1st | Ohio | Year of Ohio University founding |
| 15 | BC Vahakni City | 1st | BC Vahakni City | VBET A-League team of the same name |
| 16 | Mid-American Unity | 3rd (2019) | MAC | |

## Tournament bracket

Source:

### Wichita Regional

| First round July 16–17 | First round July 16–17 | First round July 16–17 | Second Round July 18 | Second Round July 18 | Second Round July 18 | Regional semifinals July 20 | Regional semifinals July 20 | Regional semifinals July 20 | | Regional final July 31 (Dayton) 12:00 p.m. / ESPN | Regional final July 31 (Dayton) 12:00 p.m. / ESPN | Regional final July 31 (Dayton) 12:00 p.m. / ESPN |
| 1 | Eberlein Drive | 86 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | NG Saints | 68 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | NG Saints | 68 | 1 | Eberlein Drive | 119 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 9 | Stillwater Stars | 67 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | The Enchantment | 83 | 9 | Stillwater Stars | 67 | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Stillwater Stars | 84 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Stillwater Stars | 84 | | | | 1 | Eberlein Drive | 67 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 5 | Florida TNT | 74 | | | | |
| 5 | Florida TNT | 83 | | | | | | | 5 | Florida TNT | 74 | | | | |
| 12 | Kimchi Express | 59 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Kimchi Express | 59 | 5 | Florida TNT | 92 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | LA Cheaters | 85 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | LA Cheaters | 76 | 4 | LA Cheaters | 85 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Mental Toughness | 73 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Mental Toughness | 73 | | | | | | | | 5 | Florida TNT | 92 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | AfterShocks | 63 |
| 6 | Team Arkansas | 74 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | AfterShocks | 63 |
| 11 | Fort Worth Funk | 70 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Fort Worth Funk | 70 | 6 | Team Arkansas | 63 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | Challenge ALS | 69 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Challenge ALS | 67 | 3 | Challenge ALS | 69 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | We Are D3 | 60 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | We Are D3 | 60 | | | | 3 | Challenge ALS | 65 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | AfterShocks | 69 | | | | |
| 7 | Purple & Black | 59 | | | | | | | 2 | AfterShocks | 69 | | | | |
| 10 | Omaha Blue Crew | 60 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Omaha Blue Crew | 60 | 10 | Omaha Blue Crew | 73 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | AfterShocks | 76 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | AfterShocks | 60 | 2 | AfterShocks | 76 | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Ex-Pats | 53 | | | | | | | | | | |

### West Virginia Regional

| First round July 17–18 | First round July 17–18 | First round July 17–18 | Second Round July 19 | Second Round July 19 | Second Round July 19 | Regional semifinals July 21 | Regional semifinals July 21 | Regional semifinals July 21 | | Regional final July 31 (Dayton) 7:00 p.m. / ESPN2 | Regional final July 31 (Dayton) 7:00 p.m. / ESPN2 | Regional final July 31 (Dayton) 7:00 p.m. / ESPN2 |
| 1 | Sideline Cancer | 80 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Founding Fathers | 77 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Founding Fathers | 77 | 1 | Sideline Cancer | 92 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 9 | Fort Wayne Champs | 71 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | PrimeTime Players | 61 | 9 | Fort Wayne Champs | 71 | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Fort Wayne Champs | 72 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Fort Wayne Champs | 72 | | | | 1 | Sideline Cancer | 58 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 12 | Bucketneers | 57 | | | | |
| 5 | War Ready | 50 | | | | | | | 12 | Bucketneers | 57 | | | | |
| 12 | Bucketneers | 77 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Bucketneers | 77 | 12 | Bucketneers | 79 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Armored Athlete | 60 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Armored Athlete | 88 | 4 | Armored Athlete | 60 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | HBCUnited | 52 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | HBCUnited | 52 | | | | | | | | 1 | Sideline Cancer | 71 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Team 23 | 78 |
| 6 | Team 23 | 91 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Team 23 | 78 |
| 11 | Georgia Kingz | 64 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Georgia Kingz | 64 | 6 | Team 23 | 74 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | Herd That | 71 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Herd That | 85 | 3 | Herd That | 71 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Team DRC | 76 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Team DRC | 76 | | | | 6 | Team 23 | 75 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Best Virginia | 67 | | | | |
| 7 | D2 | 68 | | | | | | | 2 | Best Virginia | 67 | | | | |
| 10 | Bleed Virginia | 56 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Bleed Virginia | 56 | 7 | D2 | 51 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Best Virginia | 63 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Best Virginia | 70 | 2 | Best Virginia | 63 | | | | | | | |
| 15 | WoCo Showtime | 67 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Columbus Regional

| First round July 23–24 | First round July 23–24 | First round July 23–24 | Second Round July 25 | Second Round July 25 | Second Round July 25 | Regional semifinals July 27 | Regional semifinals July 27 | Regional semifinals July 27 | | Regional final July 31 (Dayton) 9:00 p.m. / ESPN2 | Regional final July 31 (Dayton) 9:00 p.m. / ESPN2 | Regional final July 31 (Dayton) 9:00 p.m. / ESPN2 |
| 1 | Carmen's Crew | 77 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Mid-American Unity | 65 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Mid-American Unity | 65 | 1 | Carmen's Crew | 80 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | Men of Mackey | 69 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Men of Mackey | 83 | 8 | Men of Mackey | 69 | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Ballinteers | 74 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Ballinteers | 74 | | | | 1 | Carmen's Crew | 89 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 5 | The Money Team | 91 | | | | |
| 5 | The Money Team | 86 | | | | | | | 5 | The Money Team | 91 | | | | |
| 12 | The Region | 71 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | The Region | 71 | 5 | The Money Team | 93 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Team Hines | 76 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Team Hines | 67 | 4 | Team Hines | 76 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Brown & White | 56 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Brown & White | 56 | | | | | | | | 5 | The Money Team | 81 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Blue Collar U | 84 |
| 6 | Blue Collar U | 88 | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Blue Collar U | 84 |
| 11 | The Nerd Team | 82 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | The Nerd Team | 82 | 6 | Blue Collar U | 93 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | Zip 'Em Up | 83 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Zip 'Em Up | 91 | 3 | Zip 'Em Up | 83 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Ohio 1804 | 67 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Ohio 1804 | 67 | | | | 6 | Blue Collar U | 78 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 10 | Category 5 | 61 | | | | |
| 7 | Wolf Blood | 65 | | | | | | | 10 | Category 5 | 61 | | | | |
| 10 | Category 5 | 74 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Category 5 | 74 | 10 | Category 5 | 76 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Red Scare | 69 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Red Scare | 88 | 2 | Red Scare | 69 | | | | | | | |
| 15 | BC Vahakni City | 44 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Illinois Regional

| First round July 24–25 | First round July 24–25 | First round July 24–25 | Second Round July 26 | Second Round July 26 | Second Round July 26 | Regional semifinals July 28 | Regional semifinals July 28 | Regional semifinals July 28 | | Regional final July 31 (Dayton) 2:00 p.m. / ESPN | Regional final July 31 (Dayton) 2:00 p.m. / ESPN | Regional final July 31 (Dayton) 2:00 p.m. / ESPN |
| 1 | Golden Eagles | 94 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | B1 Ballers | 66 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | B1 Ballers | 66 | 1 | Golden Eagles | 71 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 9 | Playing for Jimmy V | 64 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Brotherly Love | 46 | 9 | Playing for Jimmy V | 64 | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Playing for Jimmy V | 78 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Playing for Jimmy V | 78 | | | | 1 | Golden Eagles | 88 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 5 | Autism Army | 75 | | | | |
| 5 | Autism Army | 76 | | | | | | | 5 | Autism Army | 75 | | | | |
| 12 | SCD Hoops | 48 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | SCD Hoops | 48 | 5 | Autism Army | 76 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Always Us | 71 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Always Us | 79 | 4 | Always Us | 71 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Peoria All-Stars | 73 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Peoria All-Stars | 73 | | | | | | | | 1 | Golden Eagles | 69 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Boeheim's Army | 73 |
| 6 | The OverLooked | 56 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Boeheim's Army | 73 |
| 11 | Heartfire | 67 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Heartfire | 67 | 11 | Heartfire | 62 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | Boeheim's Army | 68 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Boeheim's Army | 65 | 3 | Boeheim's Army | 68 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Forces of Seoul | 53 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Forces of Seoul | 53 | | | | 3 | Boeheim's Army | 69 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 7 | Always a Brave | 54 | | | | |
| 7 | Always a Brave | 75 | | | | | | | 7 | Always a Brave | 54 | | | | |
| 10 | Tubby Time | 73 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Tubby Time | 73 | 7 | Always a Brave | 70 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 15 | Jackson TN Underdawgs | 50 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | House of 'Paign | 58 | 15 | Jackson TN Underdawgs | 50 | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Jackson TN Underdawgs | 64 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Semifinals and championship

Television coverage via ESPN.
| Semifinals August 1 (Dayton) 12:00 p.m. / 2:30 p.m. | Semifinals August 1 (Dayton) 12:00 p.m. / 2:30 p.m. | Semifinals August 1 (Dayton) 12:00 p.m. / 2:30 p.m. | Championship August 3 (Dayton) 9:00 p.m. | Championship August 3 (Dayton) 9:00 p.m. | Championship August 3 (Dayton) 9:00 p.m. |
| KS 5 | Florida TNT | 64 | | | |
| IL 3 | Boeheim's Army | 66 | | | |
| IL 3 | Boeheim's Army | 66 | IL 3 | Boeheim's Army | 69 |
| | | | WV 6 | Team 23 | 67 |
| OH 6 | Blue Collar U | 62 | WV 6 | Team 23 | 67 |
| WV 6 | Team 23 | 78 | | | |

#### Semifinals

* ESPN
* August 1, 2021 12:00 p.m. EDT
* Stats
IL 3 Boeheim's Army 66, KS 5 Florida TNT 64 :
| Scoring by quarter: 13–19, 20–15, 9–13, 24–17 |||
| Pts: T. Rice 24 Rebs: C. McCullough 7 Asts: T. Rice 7 | Pts: K. Clanton 18 Rebs: K. Clanton 16 Asts: D. Jones 5 |
* UD Arena Dayton, Ohio Referees: K. Kimble, R. Natili, T. Morrissey
* ESPN
* August 1, 2021 2:30 p.m. EDT
* Stats
WV 6 Team 23 78, OH 6 Blue Collar U 62 :
| Scoring by quarter: 19–17, 15–14, 17–17, 27–14 |||
| Pts: W. Lemon & E. Griffin 15 Rebs: R. Putney 9 Asts: W. Lemon 4 | Pts: L. Bearden 22 Rebs: C. Massinburg 8 Asts: L. Bearden 3 |
* UD Arena Dayton, Ohio Referees: J. Anderson, E. Walton, B. O'Connell

#### Championship

* ESPN
* August 3, 2021 9:00 p.m. EDT
* Stats, ESPN, SI
IL 3 Boeheim's Army 69, WV 6 Team 23 67 :
| Scoring by quarter: 18–17, 15–15, 17–22, 19–13 |||
| Pts: K. Sykes 21 Rebs: C. McCullough 9 Asts: T. Rice/D. Kennedy/K. Sykes 2 | Pts: E. Griffin 16 Rebs: E. Griffin 7 Asts: E. Washington 4 |
* UD Arena Dayton, Ohio Referees: J. Anderson, K. Kimble, E. Walton

## Awards

All Tournament Team :
| Pos | Player | Team |
| PG | Tyrese Rice (MVP) | Boeheim's Army |
| PG | Marcus Keene | Sideline Cancer |
| PF | Raphiael Putney | Team 23 |
| SG | Dominique Jones | Florida TNT |
| C | Nick Perkins | Blue Collar U |
| GM | Kevin Belbey | Boeheim's Army |
| Coach | Marc Hughes | Team 23 |
Source: