The AfterShocks secured their first-ever spot in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) championship with a decisive 66-54 victory over We Are D3 in a heated semifinal on Thursday night. James Woodard led the AfterShocks with 12 points, while Marcus Keene added 10. Ty Nichols was the leading scorer for We Are D3 with 14 points.
With the win, the AfterShocks advance to compete for the $1 million, winner-take-all prize in the TBT final. They will face Eberlein Drive on Sunday at 3 p.m. at Koch Arena, with the game broadcast on FOX.
Eberlein Drive, a team of former professional players from various colleges, defeated Best Virginia 85-77 to earn their spot. One of the two remaining teams from the inaugural TBT in 2014, Eberlein Drive finished as the runner-up in 2018.
This marks a historic milestone for the AfterShocks, who are making their first championship appearance in their sixth TBT appearance. Their previous best finish was a semifinal run in 2022.
The semifinal was a contentious affair, with technical fouls assessed to We Are D3’s Nichols and Marcus Azor, as well as the AfterShocks’ Nike Sibande. Despite the tension, the AfterShocks seized control with a dominant 21-5 run in the second quarter to establish a 35-17 lead. Former Wichita State players Markis McDuffie and Conner Frankamp sparked the surge, each scoring five points and combining for four assists and three steals in the period.
Woodard came alive in the second half, scoring all 12 of his points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting, including five of the team’s eight points during the Elam Ending. The game concluded when Keene sank a free throw after Nichols was called for a technical foul for shoving him. The AfterShocks’ defense was a key factor, forcing 15 turnovers, eight of which came during their decisive second-quarter run.
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