The Basketball Tournament 2023
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- Regional sites
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Dayton, Ohio
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Lubbock, Texas
- Syracuse, New York
- Wheeling, West Virginia
- Wichita, Kansas
- Semifinal/Championship site
format(s)
| 2023 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location |
|
| Dates | July 19–August 3, 2023 |
Tournament format(s) | Single elimination |
| Participants | 64 teams |
| Purse | Championship: US$1,000,000 winner-take-all |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Heartfire |
| Runner-up | Bleed Green |
| Tournament statistics | |
| MVP | Brandon Jefferson[1] |
| Top scorer(s) | Brandon Jefferson (115)[2] |
| Games played | 63 |
The Basketball Tournament 2023 was the tenth edition of The Basketball Tournament (TBT), a 5-on-5, single elimination basketball tournament with a $1 million winner-take-all prize. The tournament, involving 64 teams, began on July 19 and ended on August 3 with the championship game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The tournament format was similar to that of the last edition in 2022—64 teams, each playing in one of eight regionals.
The event had a "championship week", starting with the regional winners advancing to quarterfinals at one of four sites, Dayton, Louisville, Wheeling, WV, and Wichita. The quarterfinal winners then traveled to Philadelphia for the semifinals and championship game. Heartfire, a team sponsored by MedImpact, won the tournament.[3]
For its 2023 edition, TBT retained its traditional 64-team format and eight-region format, with each regional involving eight teams at a single host site (similar in format to the NCAA Division II men's and women's tournaments). Wichita is serving as host for two separate regionals.
In a feature it calls "Run It Back", TBT organizers invited all teams that won first-round games in the 2022 edition to play in 2023. The remaining teams, and the regional placements for all entrants, were revealed in a selection special hosted by Andrew Zoldan with analyst Seth Greenberg that aired on TBT's YouTube channel on June 21, 2023.[4]
As with previous years, all tournament games operate 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 4 minutes or less to play in the game. At that time, a target score, equal to the score of the leading team (or tied teams) plus eight, is set, and the first team to reach this target score is declared the winner of the game.[5] Thus, all games end on a made basket (field goal or free throw) and there is no overtime.
Venues
The Basketball Tournament 2023 featured games in eight locations, seven of which hosted a regional. The eighth hosted the championship weekend (two semifinal contests and the championship game). Official regional names, if different from the location names, are indicated in the listings below the location names.
| Cincinnati (Xavier) |
Lubbock | Syracuse | Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cintas Center | United Supermarkets Arena | The Oncenter | UD Arena |
| Capacity: 10,224 | Capacity: 15,300 | Capacity: 7,000 | Capacity: 13,409 |
| Louisville | Wheeling (West Virginia) |
Wichita | Philadelphia (Championship) |
| Freedom Hall | WesBanco Arena | Charles Koch Arena | Daskalakis Athletic Center |
| Capacity: 18,865 | Capacity: 5,406 | Capacity: 10,506 | Capacity: 2,509 |
Teams
Tournament bracket
Seven of the eight no. 1 seeds advanced in first-round play, with no. 8 India Rising upsetting Red Scare in the Dayton Regional.
Five no. 1 seeds advanced in second-round play; the lowest seed to advance to the third round was no 6. Nasti Nati from the Dayton Regional.
Two no. 1 seeds advanced in third-round play; the lowest seed to advance to the quarterfinals was again Nasti Nati.
No no. 1 seeds won a quarterfinal match; the lowest seed to advance to the semifinals was no 4. Herd That from the West Virginia Regional.
In the first semifinal game, Herd That were eliminated by Heartfire, the no. 2 seed from the Wichita 1 Regional.
In the second semifinal game, Friday Beers were eliminated by Bleed Green, the no. 2 seed from the Lubbock Regional.
Heartfire then defeated Bleed Green in the championship game.
Lubbock Regional – United Supermarkets Arena
| First Round July 19 | Second Round July 21 | Third Round July 23 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Air Raiders | 83 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Purple Hearts | 64 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Air Raiders | 67 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | The Enchantment | 84 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | The Enchantment | 77 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Austin's Own | 66 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | The Enchantment | 57 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Bleed Green | 70 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | HBCUnited | 58 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | In The Lab | 88 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | In The Lab | 72 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Bleed Green | 83 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Bleed Green | 94 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Rise & Grind | 78 | ||||||||||||
Wichita 1 Regional – Charles Koch Arena
| First Round July 19 | Second Round July 22 | Third Round July 23 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Mass Street | 70 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | We Are D3 | 67 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Mass Street | 69 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Show Me Squad | 65 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Show Me Squad | 96 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Vegas Rebellion | 90 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Mass Street | 60 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Heartfire | 73 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | LA Cheaters | 86 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Living The Dream | 72 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | LA Cheaters | 57 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Heartfire | 62 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Heartfire | 69 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | JUCO Products | 66 | ||||||||||||
Wichita 2 Regional – Charles Koch Arena
| First Round July 20 | Second Round July 21 | Third Round July 23 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | AfterShocks | 66 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | B1 Ballers | 54 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | AfterShocks | 73 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Beale Street Boys | 69 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Beale Street Boys | 73 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Broad Street Birds | 67 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | AfterShocks | 63 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Team Arkansas | 59 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Team Arkansas | 70 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Ram Up | 58 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Team Arkansas | 63 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Purple & Black | 52 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Purple & Black | 72 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | DaGuys STL | 59 | ||||||||||||
Xavier Regional – Cintas Center (Cincinnati)
| First Round July 21 | Second Round July 22 | Third Round July 24 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Program for Autism | 91 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Team DRC | 76 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Program for Autism | 86 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Fort Wayne Champs | 74 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Bucketneers | 52 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Fort Wayne Champs | 85 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Program for Autism | 51 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Nasty Nati | 76 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | The Money Team | 76 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Nasty Nati | 88 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Nasty Nati | 77 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Zip Em Up | 73 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Zip Em Up | 84 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Georgia Kingz | 78 | ||||||||||||
Syracuse Regional – The Oncenter
| First Round July 24 | Second Round July 26 | Third Round July 28 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Blue Collar U | 78 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Big 5 | 77 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Blue Collar U | 107 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Virginia Dream | 86 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Virginia Dream | 79 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | The Commonwealth | 73 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Blue Collar U | 54 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Boeheim's Army | 69 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | The Nerd Team | 54 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Happy Valley Hoopers | 49 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | The Nerd Team | 75 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Boeheim's Army | 83 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Boeheim's Army | 99 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Team Gibson | 83 | ||||||||||||
Louisville Regional – Freedom Hall
| First Round July 25 | Second Round July 27 | Third Round July 29 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Gutter Cats | 77 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | The Nawf | 72 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Gutter Cats | 71 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Shell Shock | 57 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Shell Shock | 77 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Gataverse | 74 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Gutter Cats | 64 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | The Ville | 62 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Eberlein Drive | 68 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Jackson TN Underdawgs | 88 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Jackson TN Underdawgs | 74 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | The Ville | 79 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | The Ville | 91 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | War Ready | 67 | ||||||||||||
West Virginia Regional – WesBanco Arena (Wheeling)
| First Round July 25 | Second Round July 27 | Third Round July 29 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Best Virginia | 70 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Dubois Dream | 68 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Best Virginia | 61 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Herd That | 74 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Herd That | 86 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Zoo Crew | 71 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Herd That | 73 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Sideline Cancer | 64 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Challenge ALS: Florida | 95 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Dawg Town | 66 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Challenge ALS: Florida | 51 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Sideline Cancer | 60 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Sideline Cancer | 83 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Ram Nation | 72 | ||||||||||||
Dayton Regional – UD Arena
| First Round July 26 | Second Round July 28 | Third Round July 29 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Red Scare | 67 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | India Rising | 77 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | India Rising | 56 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Carmen's Crew | 82 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Carmen's Crew | 80 | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Team Overtime | 68 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Carmen's Crew | 63 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Friday Beers | 72 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Team Colorado | 68 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Men of Mackey | 70 | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Men of Mackey | 68 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Friday Beers | 73 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Friday Beers | 84 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Athletics Miami | 72 | ||||||||||||
Championship Week
Quarterfinals games were played at Wichita, West Virginia, Dayton, and Louisville. All semifinal and championship games were played in Philadelphia.
| Quarterfinals July 25–31 | Semifinals August 2 | Championship August 3 | ||||||||||||
| W1 2 | Heartfire | 76 | ||||||||||||
| W2 1 | Aftershocks | 53 | ||||||||||||
| W1 2 | Heartfire | 73 | ||||||||||||
| WV 4 | Herd That | 68 | ||||||||||||
| SY 2 | Boeheim's Army | 71 | ||||||||||||
| WV 4 | Herd That | 88 | ||||||||||||
| W1 2 | Heartfire | 78 | ||||||||||||
| LB 2 | Bleed Green | 73 | ||||||||||||
| XV 6 | Nasty Nati | 66 | ||||||||||||
| DY 2 | Friday Beers | 72 | ||||||||||||
| DY 2 | Friday Beers | 65 | ||||||||||||
| LB 2 | Bleed Green | 68 | ||||||||||||
| LB 2 | Bleed Green | 72 | ||||||||||||
| LV 1 | Gutter Cats | 61 | ||||||||||||
Eric Collins, Fran Fraschilla, and Ashley ShaAhmadi were the announcers for both semifinal matches and the championship game.[12]
Semifinals
August 2, 2023 7:00 p.m. EDT |
| W1 2 Heartfire 73, WV 4 Herd That 68 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 9–16, 25–12, 26–17, 13–23 | ||
| Pts: T. Mack, R. Putney 14 Rebs: R. Solomon, E. Griffin 8 Asts: R. Putney 3 |
Pts: J. Tokoto 27 Rebs: J. Tokoto 9 Asts: J. Elmore 5 | |
August 2, 2023 9:00 p.m. EDT |
| DY 1 Friday Beers 65, LB 2 Bleed Green 68 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–14, 12–19, 15–19, 21–16 | ||
| Pts: J. Gamble 20 Rebs: J. Gamble 13 Asts: D. Bost 5 |
Pts: J. Stevens 18 Rebs: T. Bell, B. Reed 4 Asts: B. Jefferson 7 | |
Championship
August 3, 2023 7:00 p.m. EDT |
| W1 2 Heartfire 78, LB 2 Bleed Green 73 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–18, 26–16, 15–20, 16–19 | ||
| Pts: E. Griffin 23 Rebs: C. Sword, E. Griffin 7 Asts: R. Putney 3 |
Pts: K. Huntsberry 23 Rebs: T. Bell 8 Asts: B. Jefferson, T. Bell 5 | |