After a slow start Sunday afternoon at Rupp Arena, the good vibes of the summer homecoming continued for La Familia, a team of mainly former Kentucky basketball players that’s competing in The Basketball Tournament (TBT).
La Familia — which features the likes of Aaron and Andrew Harrison , Eric Bledsoe and Willie Cauley-Stein , among other ex-Cats — overturned a halftime deficit to defeat The Nawf, 81-64 in the round of 32.
This came following Friday night’s win over 305 Ballers in front of 3,954 fans at Rupp in the opening round of TBT.
After trailing by three points at halftime, 34-31, La Familia surged to a commanding lead following the third quarter: The team of Kentucky alumni outscored The Nawf, an Atlanta-based team, by a 31-16 margin in the third period.
It was the only player on La Familia who didn’t play college ball at Kentucky who had a major impact on Sunday’s result.
Kerem Kanter — the younger brother of Enes Kanter Freedom and the only player on La Familia who didn’t play at UK — finished with 26 points and nine rebounds. Those points came on 10-for-12 shooting from the field, including the 3-pointer from the left wing that clinched the win for La Familia via the Elam Ending.
“I’m appreciative for them for accepting me as a teammate, as a brother,” Kanter said afterward.
Kanter said his older brother, Enes, is currently in Costa Rica, but plans on being at Rupp Arena for La Familia’s next game on Tuesday night.
Enes never played a game for UK but was a star recruit who battled the NCAA for eligibility during the 2010-11 season, practicing with John Calipari’s first Final Four team in Lexington.
The younger Kanter — a 6-foot-10 power forward — played college basketball at Green Bay and Xavier before beginning his pro career. He averaged 8.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game for ADA Blois in France’s top league this past season.
In Friday’s opening win in TBT, Kanter also led La Familia in scoring with 21 points. He scored 15 of La Familia’s first 17 points against The Nawf.
On Sunday, La Familia — coached by former UK guard and student assistant Tyler Ulis — also got 16 points from Bledsoe, 15 from Nate Sestina and 11 from Andrew Harrison, which helped bring to life a small, but vocal, crowd inside Rupp. The game was also broadcast to a national television audience on Fox.
“We came in at halftime and we understood that we came out a little slow, a little sluggish,” Sestina said. “I’m guilty of it for sure, just not getting 50/50 balls. Not getting offensive rebounds for us. Trying to leak out … One through, however many guys we have on our team, it was a collective effort to get those boards.”
Cauley-Stein led the La Familia defensive effort with seven blocks.
“It started with the effort,” Ulis said. “Once they started giving that effort defensively, getting those loose balls, stopping (The Nawf) from getting offensive rebounds. It’s contagious.”
With the win, La Familia advanced to a TBT round of 16 game at 9 p.m. Tuesday at Rupp. La Familia will face Herd That , a team of Marshall alumni players which defeated War Ready, a team of Auburn alumni players, earlier Sunday in Lexington.
Herd That is the 1 seed in the Lexington Regional of TBT, while La Familia is the 2 seed. Both squads are now just four victories away from winning the 64-team, single-elimination tournament that will award $1 million to the champions.
Former UK basketball stars win in their TBT return to Rupp. ‘Such a good feeling.’
The UK basketball players taking part in the TBT in Rupp. And what they’re doing now.
Together again after nearly 10 years, Harrison twins are eager for UK basketball return
Darius Miller is back in Lexington. And looking at a new chapter in his basketball life.
‘There’s no place like that.’ Cauley-Stein savors UK return in The Basketball Tournament.
Tyler Ulis is following John Calipari to Arkansas. He has unfinished business at UK first.
Former Kentucky basketball players call on fans to ‘pack Rupp out’ for TBT this summer
Pope’s UK players vs. former Cats? It’s happening this summer. Both sides are excited.
Fifteen years, 50 picks. A history of UK basketball players drafted in the Calipari era.
Most Popular
Comments / 0