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Florida TNT, a team composed of mostly Florida-based players including three former UCF Knights — Keith Clanton, Matt WIlliams and Tristan Spurlock — have won their first three games to get to the quarterfinals of The Basketball Tournament.
Their latest victory was a dramatic 74-67 comeback over Eberlein Drive, the top-seeded team in the tournament’s Wichita Regional, on Tuesday night on ESPN2:
CHRIS WARREN WITH THE DAGGGEEERRRRRRR‼️‼️‼️‼️@FloridaTnt comes back from 15 down to SHOCK Eberlein Drive 74-67 pic.twitter.com/5EC48ynOvy
— TBT (@thetournament) July 21, 2021
Spurlock was unable to join the team until just prior to the game. He drove ten hours to get to Wichita to join his teammates:
Tristan Spurlock drove 10 HOURS to help @FloridaTnt shock Eberlein Drive, but said he would gladly drive another 10 for a moment like this. ✊ @TristanUCF1 is the ultimate team guy pic.twitter.com/XOSogC1KB5
— TBT (@thetournament) July 21, 2021
Spurlock played 19 minutes on Tuesday, pulling down four rebounds.
Clanton has been key for TNT so far in the tournament. Tuesday was his best game, going 6/7 from the floor for 14 points and three rebounds, out-doing his performance the night before against the L.A. Cheaters (6/8, 12 points, 11 rebounds). For the tournament, he’s averaging 10 points on 70% shooting and five rebounds per game.
Hot start from @Im_Keithclanton in this second round TBT matchup
— UCF Men’s Hoops (@UCF_MBB) July 18, 2021
He's a perfect 4-of-4 with 8 points and 3 boards already #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/31pMCShdzK
Williams was his classic self in an 83-59 first round win against Kimchi Express, hitting three of seven threes for 9 points and 6 rebounds. He hit one three on Tuesday and is shooting 44% from the arc in TNT’s three games. He’s also become a tournament icon with his shades:
That feeling when you beat 10 former NBA players in two games
— TBT (@thetournament) July 21, 2021
The swag king @1mattwill2 got moves on and off the court pic.twitter.com/nn5M1jWIWp
Next Up: On to Dayton
UPDATE THAT BRACKET @FloridaTnt is THREE WINS away from $1 mill and a chance at TBT immortality pic.twitter.com/Wl6wBvYfEU
— TBT (@thetournament) July 21, 2021
TNT has 11 days off until their next game, which will take place at noon Eastern on July 31st in Dayton, Ohio against either Team Challenge ALS or the Aftershocks (a team composed of former Wichita State players). The game will be televised on ESPN.
A reminder: The winning team from the single-elimination tournament takes home one million dollars.