Ohio

Kentucky, Ohio State alumni teams advance following memorable night of TBT action

Published

2 years ago

July 30, 2024

Press Room

Kentucky, Ohio State alumni teams advance following memorable night of TBT action

John Fanta

College Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It was a night 11 years in the making, one that will live on forever in the history of The Basketball Tournament. A total of 13,506 fans – including 12-time NBA All-Star and TBT partner Chris Paul – packed Freedom Hall on Monday night to watch the matchup between La Familia and The Ville, which featured 11 former NBA players.

The echoes were awoken from a place Louisville basketball hasn’t called home in 14 years, but in the end, it was silence from the sea of red. Former Kentucky standout Andrew Harrison, the twin of fellow La Familia teammate and legendary UK shotmaker Aaron Harrison, put his stamp on the Battle of the Bluegrass State with a game-winning triple to seal a 70-61 win over The Ville and book a trip to Friday’s semifinals (7/9 p.m. ET on FS1).

For Kentucky, which fielded an alumni team for the second time in TBT history, this year was about avenging a first-round exit in their first-ever appearance in the event back in 2019. General manager Twany Beckham and head coach Tyler Ulis, who’s following John Calipari to Arkansas after The Basketball Tournament concludes, have done just that and now stand two wins away from $1 million.

La Familia will head to the semifinals and take on 2019 TBT champion Carmen’s Crew, the Ohio State alumni team, which made a massive statement Monday night with a 90-74 victory over Takeover BC. At one point, Jared Sullinger and the Buckeyes led by 40. It will be a tough test for La Familia when they go up against the band of Buckeyes on Friday night in Philadelphia.

Here are three takeaways from Monday night’s TBT action:

1. Willie Cauley-Stein balled out and Nate Sestina’s shooting was the difference for La Familia

The 30-year-old Cauley-Stein, who played seven seasons in the NBA and was a consensus first-team All-American on Kentucky’s legendary 38-1 team in 2014-15 that bowed out in the Final Four, said heading into TBT that he needed the energy of Big Blue Nation in his life to produce a spark in his basketball career. With the bright lights on him Monday, Cauley-Stein showed why he’s a Kentucky fan favorite, going for 20 points, nine rebounds and four steals, all while shooting 8-of-9 from downtown. His defensive activity was off the charts and the amount of pressure the 2016 NBA All-Rookie selection put on the rim changed the game. In a matchup with 2020 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell, Cauley-Stein had the last word and controlled the paint scoring.

The difference in Monday night’s rivalry win for La Familia, though, was Nate Sestina. The 2024 Turkish Super League champion proved that TBT spotlights some of the best talent from across the globe. In a game where both teams struggled to shoot in the first half, the 6-foot-9 Sestina sparked a 26-11 third quarter in favor of the Kentucky alumni, going on a personal 9-0 run at one point. He finished with 22 points and eight rebounds, shooting 6-for-14 from downtown.

2. Carmen’s Crew has the pieces to win a second TBT title

Sullinger has not played in TBT since 2018, but the former two-time first-team All-American was convinced by his children to hit the hardwood in a Buckeyes uniform again. After coaching the Ohio State alumni to The Basketball Tournament crown five years ago, the 6-9 forward posted seven points and 10 rebounds in Monday’s blowout win over Takeover BC.

Ohio State’s alumni team led 52-25 at halftime, starting the game 15-for-30 from 3-point land and seeing 10 different players score in the first half. Andre Wesson, who had his Ohio State career cut short by COVID-19 in 2020, is having the last word now as a Buckeye. The 6-6 wing led the way with 16 points on Monday, while point guard and UT-Arlington product Erick Neal posted a dozen points in a dominant victory. In total, eight different players knocked down a triple and the Buckeyes alumni held lead Takeover BC scorer AJ English to 1-for-7 from the floor. Between lockdown defense, hot shooting and a 44-32 advantage on the glass, Carmen’s Crew showed their best as they coasted to win No. 4 in their pursuit of $1 million.

3. Monday night was a celebration of basketball

Nearly 14,000 people were in an arena on a Monday night in July for a basketball game. It felt like a winter night at Freedom Hall. It absolutely felt like Louisville and Kentucky.

There was drama at the end of the game following the handshake line, but that’s to be expected. Something wouldn’t be right with Kentucky and Louisville if they were cordial after a game. It was a perfect reminder of what it means to the commonwealth and how much it matters in college basketball. For Kentucky and Louisville, who usher in the Mark Pope and Pat Kelsey eras, respectively, there is energy and hope for what can be under new leadership for both programs, with Kentucky trying to turn a corner in March and Louisville trying to get the car started again.

On Monday night, for two hours, the nostalgia of TBT and the ability of this event to create new memories was on display. It was great for the sport of basketball, and it was perfect for the future of this event. With the eyes of the country watching, it was a reminder that the Cardinals and Wildcats have formed one of the top rivalries in college basketball, and The Basketball Tournament has found a window in the ever-chaotic sports calendar to become a summer basketball tradition. The scene on Monday was one of the best I’ve ever seen covering basketball, and it gave us a taste of March while La Familia reminded everybody that the state continues to belong to Big Blue Nation.

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.

Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

Source link

Ohio

4 incoming Ohio State hockey players were selected in the 2026 NHL Draft

Published

1 hour ago

June 28, 2026

Press Room

4 incoming Ohio State hockey players were selected in the 2026 NHL Draft

Ohio State men’s hockey saw four players drafted on Saturday in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Unlike the NFL and NBA Drafts where when a player is drafted they can no longer play at the college level, the NHL allows players to play college hockey and the team that drafts them retains their rights for a certain amount of time.

Then again, using the NBA Draft as an example to describe how college eligibility works might not be the smartest thing to do since we saw some strange rulings over the past year on players who were already drafted and wanted to return to college.

The Buckeyes finished the 2025-26 season with a 14-21-2 record, missing the NCAA Tournament after losing in the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game. All four of the players drafted on Saturday are incoming freshmen and are still scheduled to come to Columbus in the fall to don the scarlet and gray.

With these four additions to the roster, Ohio State could be in for a bounce-back season in 2026-27.

Ben Wilmott – 92nd overall pick – Las Vegas Golden Knights

The Las Vegas Golden Knights traded forward Pavel Dorofeyev on Friday to the New York Rangers for a number of draft picks. One of those picks Las Vegas received was the 92nd overall pick, which the Golden Knights used on Saturday to select Ben Wilmott, who will turn 20 years old in August.

The Seattle native split last season between the London Knights and Barrie Colts in the Ontario Hockey League. In 37 games with London, Wilmott scored 12 goals and dished out 22 assists in 37 games. Wilmott would then play in 27 regular season games for Barrie, netting 15 goals and 17 assists before adding 11 goals and 11 assists in 20 games in the playoffs.

What stood out about Wilmott during his time in the OHL is the work he does around the net. Wilmott is a bit of a late bloomer and needs to work on his speed and his play away from the puck. If Wilmott is able to build on what he did in the OHL last year, the rest of the Big Ten could be in trouble this season.

Evan Jardine – 121st overall pick – Columbus Blue Jackets

The most notable pick involving an Ohio State player on Saturday was the selection of Evan Jardine by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the 121st overall pick. The Blue Jackets traded down a couple times earlier in the fourth round, accumulating a few more picks before taking Jardine.

While Jardine was already committed to Ohio State, where he is playing his hockey in a few years could just be a few miles down the road from campus.

BUFFALO, NEW YORK – JUNE 27: Evan Jardine of the United States looks on after being drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the one hundred and twenty first pick during day two of the 2026 NHL Draft on June 27, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Jardine has played in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms since 2023-24. Last year Jardine not only scored 27 goals and recorded 34 assists, he showed a bit of a mean streak, racking up 70 penalty minutes in 53 games. Much like Wilmott, Jardine has the ability to get under the skin of his opponents.

Jardine has a great mix of skill and grit, which could lead to him being a fan favorite in Columbus for both the Buckeyes and the Blue Jackets.

Tobias Tvrznik – 126th overall pick – Colorado Avalanche

This season we saw Jakub Dobeš take over as the starting goaltender in Montreal, helping the Canadiens reach the Eastern Conference Finals before they were eventually eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Tobias Tvrznik hopes to find success in the NHL in the future after he was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday in the fourth round.

The Czechia product will have a few years before he reaches the NHL, as he won’t even turn 19 until the end of July. Before committing to Ohio State, Tvrznik appeared in 39 games for the Wenatchee Wild of the Western Hockey League, posting a 3.10 goals against average and .913 save percentage.

While the goals against average is a little high, Tvrznik’s save percentage is impressive. With a pretty crowded pipeline at goalie, Tvrznik can afford to spend some time in Columbus to develop.

Will Tomko – 204th overall pick – Seattle Kraken

The final future Buckeye selected on Saturday was Will Tomko, who was drafted by the Seattle Kraken in the seventh round with the 204th overall pick.

There are a lot of similarities between Tomko and Evan Jardine, who was taken in the fourth round by Columbus. Tomko and Jardine are similar in size, standing at six-feet tall and weighing about 185 pounds.

In 59 games with the Sioux City Musketeers, Tomko scored 24 goals and handed out 36 assists. Tomko also spent a lot time in the penalty box, racking up 115 minutes in the sin bin last season. If his play with Sioux City is any indication of what he brings to the table, expect to see Tomko all over the ice during his time as a Buckeye.

Source link

Ohio

Ohio State football single game tickets now on sale | Buckeyes Wire

Published

11 hours ago

June 28, 2026

Press Room

Ohio State football single game tickets now on sale | Buckeyes Wire

There are several sign posts on the way to the start of the college football season and the ability to see Ohio State on the banks of the Olentangy again, and one of them is when single-game tickets go on sale. In that case, you rejoice a little because the ability to purchase tickets to a game of your choice is now available.

Ohio State welcomes Ball State, Kent State, Illinois, Maryland, Oregon, Northwestern, and Michigan to Ohio Stadium this year, and you can now try to score tickets by going to the Ohio State football section of Ticketmaster and selecting the game you want to attend.

A quick search shows that tickets are still available for any home date if you are willing to buy resale tickets in most cases, though “The Game” against the Wolverines is much steeper in price than others. There’s a good bet that those tickets will disappear along with others, or become more expensive as the days go by, so if you were planning on trying to make that a day to remember, you might want to jump on things quickly.

The link to Ticketmaster also has the links to away games if that’s something you are interested in. The Buckeyes will travel to play at Texas, Iowa, Indiana, USC, and Nebraska. Likewise, some are resale tickets and will set you back much more significantly, but there are tickets available if you want to spend the money.

Ohio State has a daunting schedule this year both at home and with away games and it’s almost a sure bet that some of these games will be hard-fought fourth quarter affairs.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

Source link

Ohio

In Springfield, Ohio, Trump’s rhetoric becomes a grim reality

Published

22 hours ago

June 27, 2026

Press Room

In Springfield, Ohio, Trump’s rhetoric becomes a grim reality

Having lived with Donald Trump’s infamous and baseless insult against them — “they’re eating the dogs … they’re eating the cats” — Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are bracing for a far bigger injury.

More than 10,000 Haitians across Ohio and hundreds of thousands more around the country who had Temporary Protected Status now face the imminent prospect of deportation. The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Trump administration can halt those legal protections for Haitians and Syrians and resume forcing them to leave.

Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion for the court’s Republican-appointed majority curbed the power of courts to review government decisions to terminate protections under the TPS program.

“They side with him on everything that he says or everything that he does, which means there is no check and balance,” said Viles Dorsainvil, a Haitian TPS holder and executive director of the Haitian Support Center in Springfield, a town Trump catapulted into a maelstrom of misinformation about immigrants when he was running to retake the White House in 2024.

“The president has that freeway in front of him to do whatever he wants to do, unfortunately, and most of the time to a minority group of people,” added Dorsainvil, who has lived in the United States since 2020.

In a country rife with political and economic instability, Haitians returning from the U.S. are in danger of being killed or kidnapped, said Dorsainvil’s colleague at the Haitian Support Center, Rose Thamar Joseph.

“There is this perception in Haiti that if you are living here in the United States, you have money, so you are living your good life, so sending people back to Haiti will put them in real danger,” Joseph said.

Staying in the U.S. without legal status creates a different crisis.

“We received calls this morning from people saying that, unfortunately, starting on July 1, they won’t be able to go to work anymore,” Joseph said Friday.

Joseph predicted that families would be separated during the deportation process.

“We know that there will be separation,” she said. “A lot of those parents with TPS … they have kids who were born in the United States, so we know that it will happen, not for everybody, not for all the families, but it will happen,” she said.

The oncoming nightmare for the Haitian community in Springfield was, in many ways, predictable after Trump notoriously targeted them on the debate stage against then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the fall of 2024.