Red Scare fall to last year’s runner-up in TBT semifinals

Trey Landers once again played an excellent game, but even his hustle plays weren’t enough to push Red Scare into TBT finals. Photo courtesy of Ben Solomon, TBT.

Luc Almeda
Assistant Sports Editor

Dayton’s Red Scare alumni team entered the semi finals of TBT as the underdog in their matchup against Golden Eagles. They came up short in the end, falling 79-70 to the Marquette alums in what was a tale of two halves. 

Trey Landers was, again, the pulse of Red Scare. Just like he showed in the previous games, his motor was on display once more. He ended the day with 21 points and six rebounds, and his hustle plays that won’t show up in the box score were a major reason why Red Scare stuck around until the end. 

Red Scare’s lack of depth was the thorn in their side, and their three substitutes to Golden Eagles’ seven played a role in the defeat. 

Golden Eagles capitalized on the opportunity, looking to push in transition and make the most of Red Scare’s tired legs. They were able to force 12 turnovers, scoring 17 points off of those slip ups. 

Jamil Wilson was Golden Eagles’ strongest contributor, with a game high 23 points on a proficient 61% field goal percentage. He also shot 5-10 from behind the arc, and played the most minutes out of the players on either team.

The game was juxtaposed in two halves; the first being an even, strong display of team basketball, while the second was much more individually focused. This hurt Red Scare in the end, and their chemistry seemed to fall apart when their energy was spent. 

Despite the lack of Red Scare’s second half offensive creativity, Darrell Davis came out of the locker room at half to put on a strong second half shooting display. He hit three 3-pointers and ended the day with 15 points.

The edge came late in the game when Red Scare’s fatigue caught up to them. Although they were able to grab a 62-61 lead early in the fourth, Golden Eagles went on a scoring run to widen the gap to 70-62. Red Scare never got a hold of the game after that point, and their exhaustion was evident. 

Golden Eagles finally put them away on a corner 3-pointer hit by Wilson, putting an end to Red Scare’s TBT bubble experience.

Although Red Scare’s 2020 TBT run is over, the tournament may have opened up opportunities for their players. Scouts from the world’s most competitive basketball leagues tune in to TBT every year to hunt for uncovered talent. Strong performances, specifically from the Trey Landers, may have drawn some attention and brought on some opportunity.

As for the winners, they will play for the $1 million winner-take-all prize on Tuesday, July 14.