Boeheim’s Army, the collection of former Syracuse basketball players and other stars, captivated Orange Nation this past summer by winning the 2021 The Basketball Tournament (“TBT”) title, along with the $1 million prize.
And as we look ahead to next summer, Boeheim’s Army will have the opportunity to defend its TBT championship by serving as one of the tournament’s eight regional locations in 2022, according to announcements from SU Athletics and the TBT.
I’m really glad to see this. The ‘Cuse fan base has really gotten behind Boeheim’s Army and the TBT over the years, and what the team did this summer was nothing short of remarkable.
In case you need a refresher course, in the 2021 TBT, Boeheim’s Army point guard Keifer Sykes, who suited up in college for the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, connected on a deep, highly contested 3-pointer to propel the No. 3 seed Boeheim’s Army to a 69-67 victory against the No. 6 seed Team 23 in the championship contest.
Boeheim’s Army, that roster of Syracuse basketball guys and others, will get to stay home.
According to a press release on cuse.com, TBT officials are partnering with the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation to bring one of the 2022 regionals to the Salt City.
Boeheim’s Army and seven other squads in this region will suit up from July 22-25 at SRC Arena, with all of the match-ups being broadcast on ESPN networks and the winner advancing to the tournament’s quarterfinal round.
By the way, the cuse.com statement says that the Boeheim’s Army 2022 line-up “will be revealed in the upcoming weeks,” which is exciting.
“Our entire community has been energized each summer by Boeheim’s Army and the TBT,” Syracuse basketball head coach Jim Boeheim said in the press release.
Jon Mugar, TBT’s founder and CEO, said that Boeheim’s Army, as the defending champs, “earned the right to begin its title defense in its hometown.” He added, “Syracuse fans have supported TBT since 2015 and their passion for orange continually amazes us.”
The regional host cities, besides Syracuse, N.Y., are Omaha, Neb., Albuquerque, N.M., Cincinnati, Ohio, Wichita, Kan., Charleston, W. Va., Dayton, Ohio, and an eighth location to be named later on.
The quarterfinals will run from July 28-30. The Final Four, on July 31, and the title game, on August 2, will transpire in Dayton.