La Familia (Kentucky Alumni) defended its home court Wednesday night, defeating JHX Hoops (Kansas Alumni) 78-65 at Historic Memorial Coliseum to capture the TBT Alumni Championship and advance to Sunday’s $2 million Championship Game. Kentucky will now host the winner of the Las Vegas Open Bracket Championship at 2 p.m. ET on FOX with the winner-takes-all prize on the line.
Archie Goodwin continued his dominant tournament run, pouring in a game-high 28 points while adding five rebounds and three assists. Through his three games played, the former Kentucky guard is averaging 26.7 points per game, the highest mark in TBT this summer. Willie Cauley-Stein and Darryl Morsell each added 10 points, while Chris Coffey controlled the glass with eight rebounds off the bench.
Coming off an emotional Alumni Semifinal victory in Wichita less than 48 hours earlier, JHX Hoops opened the night with the early momentum, racing out to an 8-4 advantage behind Billy Preston and Jacob Hanna. Kentucky quickly responded, however, using a 14-2 run sparked by Goodwin and Cauley-Stein to seize control before taking a 37-30 lead into halftime.
La Familia took complete command after the break. Kentucky outscored Kansas 21-7 in the third quarter, turning a seven-point halftime edge into a commanding 58-37 advantage entering the fourth. Goodwin repeatedly converted in transition, while Kentucky’s defense held JHX Hoops to just 30 percent shooting for the game and 5-of-29 from three-point range.
Kansas fought until the final whistle, trimming the deficit during the Elam Ending to within 11 points, but Goodwin fittingly delivered the game-winning basket with a step-back jumper to send the Kentucky faithful into celebration.
Goodwin finished with 28 points on 9-of-17 shooting, including five three-pointers. Cauley-Stein was perfect from the field, scoring 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting while adding six rebounds and a block. Morsell contributed 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks, and Coffey chipped in nine points and eight rebounds as La Familia shot 46.4 percent from the floor and received 22 points from its bench.
Billy Preston paced JHX Hoops with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Frank Mason III added 13 points, five rebounds and three assists. Zeke Mayo finished with 12 points and six rebounds, but Kansas was unable to overcome its cold shooting night after winning three consecutive elimination games to reach the Alumni Championship.
With the victory, La Familia advances to the TBT $2 Million Championship Game on Sunday, Aug. 2, at Historic Memorial Coliseum. Kentucky will face the winner of Thursday night’s Las Vegas Open Bracket Championship between Davis Steel and The Mecca, with tipoff set for 2 p.m. ET on FOX.
