2024 The Basketball Tournament (TBT) Picks: Sunday (7/21)
The Basketball Tournament is back for the 2024 season! While the NBA Summer League is wrapping up, there is plenty of summer basketball yet to be played. The Big3 rolls on, and now fans get to enjoy TBT, The Basketball Tournament. Games will be featured on ESPN throughout the tournament, and we’ll have you covered with picks and predictions for each and every matchup. TBT believes “high stakes competition is the most powerful force in sports.†They’ll offer an open tournament and games of consequence daily which should result in some electrifying competition. Let’s take a look at our top picks for today’s TBT action.
Today’s 2024 The Basketball Tournament (TBT) Picks
Here are our top picks for today’s 2024 TBT action.
Herd That vs. War Ready
Herd That had no problem taking care of business against Jackson TN Boom (making its tournament debut), winning with ease, 92-57. Jacorey Williams led the way on the scoreboard with 17, followed by Chris Cokley, who came off the bench for 14. Their second-round opponent, War Ready, was not nearly as dominant, needing overtime to dispatch the D2 Waymakers, 80-73. While the Waymakers did pull out the win, they got outplayed by a group of former Division II players for three-quarters of the game. They will not have that luxury against Herd That, one of (if not the) best teams in TBT. Wendell Green had a standout performance (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) for War Ready in the first round, but he’ll need a lot of help. Herd That has too much talent (i.e., Cockley, Jone Elmore, DeAndre Kane, Jarrod West, etc.) to lose to War Ready.
Pick: Herd That ATS
- Travis Pulver
Dream 34 vs. Takeover BC
If your team has a player who can hit over 50% of his three-pointers in a game, not only will you score a lot of points, but you’re probably going to win. Such was the case for Dream 34 (QJ Peterson, 7-13 from three-point range) and Takeover BC (AJ English, 8-14)in the first round; both scored 30+ points. Takeover BC is a team stocked with shooters, while Dream 34 appears to be a team that can score but also plays defense. Both players could use some help from their respective rosters. Peterson will most likely get it from Rob Colon. For English, Desi Washington had a solid outing in the first round, but Phlandrous Fleming Jr. and Eric Williams are supposed to be shooters, too. Both teams were upset winners in the first round, but they will not surprise anyone this time. The winner will be whoever is more accurate from behind the arc. Either way, count on a high-scoring game.
Pick: OVER
- Travis Pulver
La Familia vs. The Nawf
Both of these teams looked impressive during their first round wins on Friday. La Familia, the Kentucky alumni team led by Eric Bledsoe and Willie Carley-Stein, made quick work of their opponent in an 82-56 win that was looking like a rout from the start. Led by Kerem Kanter’s 21 points and 12 boards, they dominated the glass and worked a lot of contact on their way to 33 FTA. They’ll take on The Nawf who upset WoCo Showtime in an 87-76 win where they forced 24 turnovers. WoCo Showtime actually shot the ball fairly well and won the battle of the glass. I don’t foresee La Familia, with a longtime NBA point guard at the helm, having the same turnover woes as The Nawf’s last opponent. Expect the Kentucky alumni to dominate the glass again and move onto the next round with ease in pursuit of a tournament title.
Pick: La Familia ATS
- Ryan Rodeman
Red Rose Thunder vs. Team AboutBillions
Red Rose Thunder had one of the most impressive wins of the opening round of the TBT with a 30-point victory over Brown Ballers. This was a game they shot over 55% from the field and an incredible 69.2% from inside the arch. They should have a tougher matchup on Sunday against About Billions. About Billions upset the 1-seeded Nasty Nati in Cincinnati on Friday due to some intense defensive effort. They held Nati to 66 points on 36.7% shooting from the field. It’s good that their defense was so elite because they didn’t fare much better only scoring 70 on 35.9% shooting. Red Rose Thunder’s win on Friday was more indicative of the competition they played. About Billions will give them a much tougher time inside the arch and we should expect to see another low scoring dogfight.
Pick: UNDER
- Ryan Rodeman
Bleed Green vs. Challenge ALS
Bleed Green kicked off with a 78-63 win against LA Ignite, comfortably beating the spread. The team had a strong run in the 2023 TBT, reaching the final, and now aims to take the title. Shannong Shorter had 16 points, while Brandon Jefferson was good for 12 points, including three triples. The UNT team hit 10 3-pointers in total, while hitting a decent 44.6% (29-of-65) from the field. Team Challenge ALS secured a 69-67 victory over The Program NYC for Autism in Houston’s opening round. With a solid fan base in Texas, Bleed Green thrives on the local crowd’s support. The UNT alumni team’s Jordan Stevens scored 19 points, and Challenge ALS clinched their win with a last-minute jumper, capitalizing on NYC’s squandered 16-point lead. Expect Bleed Green to continue their momentum on Sunday, backed by their depth and experience.
Pick: Bleed Green ATS
- Dan Dobish
All Good Dawgs vs. Eberlein Drive
Eberlein Drive stunned Team Arkansas in the opening matchup with a 79-76 win. This team didn’t get much contribution from its bench, but Eberlein Drive watched Tyler Stone earn a team-high 22 points after shooting 7-for-14 from the field. Stone and Eberlein Drive shot 38% from the field but drained 40.7% from downtown in the opener. Ultimately, Eberlein Drive watched Team Arkansas shoot 47.5% from the field but only 28.6% from three. The defense was good around the perimeter but not good overall. Meanwhile, Butler’s All Good Dawgs shot 52.2% from the field and drained 40.9% from three in its win against Fail Harder. All Good Dawgs need to be better from the foul line, but overall, they have an elite starting lineup. Shelvin Mack didn’t even lead the team in scoring. Instead, Sean McDermott went 11-for-16 from the field and added 26 points. Mack scored 15 on 50% from the field, and Bo Hodges scored 13. Eberlein Drive may be a better rebounding team, but as long as All Good Dawgs continue to shoot at a high level, that won’t matter.
Pick: All Good Dawgs ATS
- Jason Radowitz
Forever Coogs vs. Once a Bronco
Forever Coogs, the Houston alumni team, posted a 71-60 win over Austin’s Own, a Texas alumni team, at Fertitta Center on Friday night. It was Houston’s first-ever TBT victory. The Coogs weren’t particularly sharp, hitting just 33.7% (28-of-83) from the field, and 28.6% (8-of-28) from behind the arc. It was also a dismal 53.8% (7-of-13) from the free-throw line. However, the UH squad was plus-3 in steals, and it had 18 assists, to just six for Austin’s Own. Once a Bronco upended the New Mexico alumni team, and it is a great play catching the points against a Coogs team which won, but which was rather erratic from the field, behind the arc and at the charity stripe. The Broncos held The Enchantment to just 32.3% shooting, including 26.1% from behind the arc. Thomas Bropleh had the hot hand, going for a team-high 14 points, including four triples.
Pick: Once a Bronco ATS
- Dan Dobish
Assembly Ball vs. Men of Mackey
We’ve got a real Big Ten rivalry tonight! Assembly Ball, the Indiana alum, will face Purdue’s Men of Mackey. It’s slated for primetime for a reason. Yogi Ferrell headlined Assembly Ball’s win with 27 points. Meanwhile, Juwan Morgan contributed a double-double, adding 12 points and ten rebounds. Indiana’s alumni team looks super balanced. It would’ve been more fun to see Race Thompson play more, but he added three fouls in eight minutes in that first win against The Cru. On the other hand, Men of Mackey didn’t have anyone score above 13 points in their win against Fort Wayne Champs. But they have depth and can go with a nine-man rotation without skipping a beat. David Jenkins added 12 points off the bench, and Sasha Stefanovic recorded nine points with three steals and five rebounds. Purdue’s alumni team went 46.7% from the field and drained nearly 45% from downtown. This matchup should go down to the wire, with both teams scoring at a high rate. Let’s back the Over in this game.
Pick: OVER
- Jason Radowitz