Then-senior guard Aaron Craft (4) dribbles the ball down the court in a game against Dayton. OSU lost, 60-59, at First Niagara Center March 20, 2014. Credit: Ritika Shah | Lantern File Photo
The Carmen’s Crew appearance in the 2020 The Basketball Tournament bore little resemblance to its title run in 2019.
The Ohio State alumni squad was eliminated in their first game of the tournament by House of ‘Paign — Illinois’ alumni team — by a score of 76-68 last July. With a few new pieces for a run at the $1 million prize this year, Carmen’s Crew is seeking vengeance for that opening round loss.
“Don’t do what we did last year. I think that’s kinda driving us right now,” former Ohio State forward and current Carmen’s Crew head coach Jared Sullinger said. “That’s pretty much how we’re competing. We just don’t want a repeat of what we did last year, and we know that we’re the hunted, not the hunters.”
The loss was also supposed to send guard Aaron Craft into retirement, as the former Buckeye began medical school this past year.
But, in a last-minute decision, Craft decided to run it back for one more tournament with Carmen’s Crew. However, he said last year’s heartbreaking upset did not have an impact on his decision to return.
“Honestly, I didn’t think a ton about last year,” Craft said. “For me, it was another chance to play competitive basketball.”
As Craft served as a starter in his previous four trips to The Basketball Tournament with Carmen’s Crew, the electrifying guard said that he will likely come off the bench in his final stint with the alumni squad.
Joining Craft in the backcourt are former Buckeyes guards Shannon Scott, Keyshawn Woods and Lenzelle Smith.
Scott, Smith and Craft all played under legendary Ohio State coach Thad Matta and Scott said the trio is looking to make life difficult for their opponents offensively.
“[We] definitely got to put pressure on other guards, kind of be pests with other guards,” Scott said. “Me, Craft and Lenzelle feel like we can really like this, be annoying to other teams, so we want to definitely take advantage of that.”
Woods comes from the current Chris Holtmann-era in Columbus, and Craft described him as someone who “plays his speed” and doesn’t rush a possession with the ball in his hands.
“We have a lot of guys that like to play really fast, so when he gets the ball, he’s a little more calm and he can get to his spots to score,” Craft said.
Down low, Carmen’s Crew earned the services of Kosta Koufos — who spent 11 seasons in the NBA with the Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings.
With the addition of Koufos, Sullinger said the former Buckeyes center adds a new dynamic to the team — both on the court and with his veteran leadership.
“The length, the strength, the rim protection and the ability to play from the three-point line in … that dynamic is really gonna change a lot with our team,” Sullinger said.
While Koufos will serve as the new “man-in-the-middle” for Carmen’s Crew, they were able to retain lights-out shooters in Jon Diebler and William Buford.
Buford earned the 2019 The Basketball Tournament MVP while averaging 17.9 points per game during Carmen’s Crew title run. But, he failed to reach a double-digit scoring output in their shocking loss to House of ‘Paign in the 2020 tournament.
Diebler — who was also part of the championship team in 2019 — emphasized his excitement to play in front of a more familiar environment, as there will, once again, be fans in the stands after the pandemic kept them out during the 2020 tournament.
“Obviously last year in the TBT with the bubble, it was a unique situation, but they did a great job of organizing everything, especially here in Columbus,” Diebler said. “But we’re excited to have fans here at the Covelli Center on campus, so we’re looking forward to it.”
Carmen’s Crew opens up the tournament against Mid American Unity — an alumni team composed primarily of Mid-American Conference graduates.
Mid American Unity holds a 1-2 all-time record in The Basketball Tournament history, but Craft said Carmen’s Crew will have their hands full come Friday night.
“They have a great roster, a good team and coaches that kinda know what it takes to be successful in this tournament,” Craft said. “There is zero ‘gimme games.’”
As Carmen’s Crew looks to get back atop the TBT landscape, Sullinger said the squad is ready to make a run similar to that of 2019.
“We’re playing almost everyday and just getting ready to build up for that tournament run,” Sullinger said. “We just learn from last year and know we’re the hunted.”
Carmen’s Crew and Mid American Unity tip off at 9 p.m. Friday on ESPN.
