With Rajon Rondo and Willie Cauley-Stein, La Familia shows new weapons in win vs The Ville

La Familia , the Kentucky basketball alumni team, already had shown it was plenty dangerous through its first three games in The Basketball Tournament .

But La Familia had a couple more tricks up its sleeve for Monday night’s titanic tussle against The Ville , the alumni team of in-state rival Louisville .

The first secret weapon was on the sideline: UK great Rajon Rondo , a Louisville native, joined Tyler Ulis and the La Familia coaching staff for the quarterfinal contest.

The second secret weapon was on the floor: Willie Cauley-Stein . Specifically, a part of Cauley-Stein’s game never seen during his time with the Wildcats . During Monday’s matchup, Cauley-Stein showcased his 3-point prowess in the first half, knocking down all three he attempted and ending the first two quarters as the game’s leading scorer.

With ample contributions from his teammates after intermission, Cauley-Stein and La Familia cruised into the semifinals, downing The Ville, 70-61, at Freedom Hall .

"Tyler instills a lot of confidence in us," Cauley-Stein said, referring to La Familia coach Tyler Ulis . "My teammates instill a lot of confidence in me. Before the game, we're at shootaround, I couldn't miss.

"I was like, 'Ty, I think it's one of them days, bro.' He said, '(Shoot), just pull it.' That's all she wrote."

That Cauley-Stein, for one night, morphed into a deadly sharpshooter from deep was a stark contrast to his college career. Cauley-Stein never attempted, much less made, a 3-pointer as a Wildcat.

"It was very surprising," The Ville's Russ Smith said of watching triple after triple from Cauley-Stein tickle the twine. "He's a player, of course, but you go into the game looking to give something up, right? We'd much rather Cauley-Stein be out there (on the perimeter) than catching lobs all day. But he was amazing from 3."

So much so that it altered the course of the contest, in Smith's view.

"It's a multitude of reasons why we were down, but that's one of the biggest ones: He kept La Familia in the game in the first half," Smith said. "I truly believe, if he doesn't make those 3s or doesn't take those shots, it's a different ballgame."

Guidance from Rondo didn't hurt, either.

"Rondo is one of the best X-and-O guys I've ever been around," Cauley-Stein said. "He's hitting quick hitters in the timeout. He's so witty on how to do clever things out there. So he's just constantly bringing you over — and it's not like, loud, you know? It's just, 'Hey man, I see this, this and this,' and, 'I see this, this and that,' and then (you) go implement what he's talking about. And normally a good thing happens."

While Cauley-Stein totaled 20 points (on 8-of-9 shooting), he didn’t finish as La Familia’s top scorer. That honor went to Nate Sestina , who caught fire in the final two quarters. He sank five 3-pointers in the third period, ending with 22 points to match Smith for the game high.

"It's taken me 27 years to feel this confident in myself and in my game," said Sestina, who was 8 of 17 from the field, including 6 for 14 beyond the 3-point arc. "I speak with a mental health coach, and he and I have been working the last three years to really just kind of put misses out of my head and just keep going, going, going. ... It's just one of those things that a lot of time and effort goes into it.

"It's a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff that people don't see. But it's a confidence thing. I'm feeling really good and trusting my stuff. And I've got a team that believes me as well."

La Familia’s victory clinched a spot in the TBT Final Four, which will take place Friday in Philadelphia. La Familia will face Carmen’s Crew (a squad of Ohio State alums), which torched Takeover BC , 90-74, in Monday’s first quarterfinal at Freedom Hall.  Friday’s semifinal between La Familia and Carmen’s Crew will tip off at 9 p.m. at Daskalakis Athletic Center . FS1 will carry the national television broadcast.

Now, just two victories stand between La Familia and the tournament's $1 million prize.

"The opportunity to play for a Kentucky team, in Kentucky, at Rupp (Arena) to start and to come here and do what we did here?" Sestina said. "This is why this team was put together."

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: With Rajon Rondo and Willie Cauley-Stein, La Familia shows new weapons in win vs The Ville