Kentucky
La Familia’s memorable run ends in The Basketball Tournament semifinals vs Carmen’s Crew
Kentucky coach Mark Pope welcomed back to Rupp Arena by Wildcats fans
Former Kentucky basketball player and new head coach Mark Pope is announced at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
Sam Upshaw Jr.
La Familia found little to like in the “City of Brotherly Love” on Friday night.
The Kentucky alumni team’s run in The Basketball Tournament came to a close at the hands of Carmen’s Crew in Friday’s semifinals, losing 76-70 at Daskalakis Athletic Center in Philadelphia.
Former Buckeyes superstar Jared Sullinger and Desonta Bradford led Carmen’s Crew — a squad of Ohio State alumni — to the victory, as the pair combined for 31 points. Sullinger had 16 points, while Bradford ended with 15. Jamel Morris, who contributed 11 points, hit the game-capping 3 after the Elam Ending started.
La Familia bowed out of the tournament despite having four players post double-digit scoring performances, led by Kerem Kanter’s game-high 17. Willie-Cauley Stein and Andrew Harrison had 14 apiece, followed by Eric Bledsoe (11). Cauley-Stein also grabbed nine rebounds, the top total in Friday’s game.
The difference in the contest was perimeter shooting. Half of the field-goal makes for Carmen’s Crew came from beyond the 3-point arc; it knocked down 28 shots, with 14 from distance. La Familia, on the other hand, shot 26.3% (5 for 19) behind the 3-point line.
That’s where Nate Sestina’s absence Friday was most conspicuous.
Sestina, La Familia’s sharpshooter from deep, entered Friday with 15 triples made in four TBT outings, tied for most among all players (Takeover BC’s AJ English and Happy Valley Hoopers’ Greg Lee). But Sestina missed Friday’s matchup because of “a previously scheduled family obligation,” per a team announcement Thursday afternoon.
Without him, La Familia simply didn’t have enough to keep up with Carmen’s Crew. The group of former Wildcats trailed for most of the contest. Their last lead came at the 2:08 mark of the first quarter, when they held a two-point advantage (10-8). They played catch-up the rest of the way, heading into halftime down 40-27. Carmen’s Crew stretched the lead to as many as 16 (45-29) before La Familia stormed back, drawing within two on two separate occasions during the Elam Ending before Morris’ walk-off 3.
With the win, Carmen’s Crew clinched a spot in Sunday’s championship game against Forever Coogs, which held off Eberlein Drive, 76-73, in Friday’s first semifinal.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
Kentucky
Kentucky Colonels executive to speak at Florence Rotary Club on Monday, public welcome to register
Ohio tornado warnings: what residents should know
Severe storms June 17 in Ohio: know tornado watch vs. warning, safety steps, shelters and alerts.
A tornado was confirmed to have ripped through the Florence area during the overnight storms June 18.
The National Weather Service in Wilmington released a statement June 20 saying a tornado traveled eastward 6.2 miles across the Northern Kentucky city, 10 miles south of Cincinnati. It had estimated peak winds of 100 mph, which classifies it as an EF1 “moderate” tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
The tornado’s path goes mostly through residential areas, and the first evidence was found on Landings Way where several trees were snapped at their trunks, the weather service reported.
The tornado progressed east, crossing Interstate 71/75 and then seemingly dissipating on Tallwood Circle where multiple large branches were downed, the final known instance of damage.
Along the way, the tornado uprooted multiple trees and snapped branches, damaged several buildings and businesses, and snapped a large power pole near the intersection of U.S. 42 and Dream Street, according to the weather service.
How many tornadoes have been confirmed in Greater Cincinnati, beyond?
As of 1 p.m. June 20, the weather service has confirmed that apart from the one in Florence, two other tornadoes touched down in Greater Cincinnati on June 18:
- An EF2 “significant” tornado that traveled about 9 miles from Dearborn County, Indiana, to Boone County, Kentucky.
- An EF2 “significant” tornado that traveled just over 5 miles from Franklin County, Indiana, to Butler County, Ohio.
A few other tornadoes have been confirmed outside the Greater Cincinnati region, including an EF2 that traveled 23.6 miles from Scott County, Indiana, to Trimble County, Kentucky; an EF2 that traveled 9 miles across Pike County, Ohio; and one in Grant County, Kentucky, just north of Williamstown.
The weather service said details on the Grant County tornado will be released later on June 20.
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