The Oregon Alumni affiliate, Team Always Us, fell short against Team Autism Army Monday afternoon, 76-71, ending their bid to win the 1,000,000 dollar prize of The Basketball Tournament (TBT).
The Tournament features unique crunch time “ Elam” rules aimed at allowing teams to focus on getting stops and buckets, rather than intentionally fouling. At the first stoppage of time, in the last four minutes of play, the game’s clock is turned off. A target score is then established by adding eight points to the leading team’s score.
Forfeiting a 51-37 lead with 6:15 to play in the third, via a 10-0 Autism Army run, the Ducks took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter. Neither team managed the Elam, four-minute-rule well. Tajuan Porter missed a jumper with 4:09 left and a one-point lead. Leaving time on the clock gave an opportunity for D’Angelo Harrison, a sharpshooter from St. Johns, to claim Autism Army a 2 point lead with a three pointer at 4:02 to play.
“They hit some momentum shots.” Always Us coach and Oregon director of basketball operations Josh Jamieson said. “We conversely had some really good looks that did not go.”
Hoping to stop the clock and spot themselves a two-point lead in the Elam ending, team Autism Army intentionally fouled former Oregon two-sport star Jonathan Loyd which incidentally put him at the free throw line instead of simply eliminating the game clock. Loyd cashed in on both free throws tying the game at 68, forcing an “Elam” game to be played to 76.
In crunch time, Autism Army’s Delroy James sealed the game, scoring his game high 19th point on a dagger mid-range jumper. James founded the team to raise money for Life’s Work Oriented Rehabilitation Center, a non-profit providing care and support services for people with developmental disabilities and autism, after his son’s Autism diagnosis.
In the post game remarks, coach Jamieson and players Jonathan Loyd and Paul White all gave props to Oregon head basketball coach Dana Altman for fostering the positive basketball culture that has allowed Oregon to be competitive for years.
“We’re able to come together because of that ‘Always Us Mentality,’” Said coach Jamieson. “Each and every day, Coach [Altman] shows up to that practice… I don’t want to say we replace your family, but we become your second family.”
Despite the loss, the Oregon Men’s basketball team plans to send another squad of alumni next year to The Basketball Tournament.
“This has been a great experience,” said class of 2014 guard Jonathan Loyd. “This is gonna be something we’re gonna try to put together every year.”
With lessons learned from their first entry to The Basketball Tournament, the University of Oregon affiliate, Team Always Us, now has a whole year to recalibrate and improve. In the meantime, coach Dana Altman’s Ducks have reloaded on talent and will look to make another tournament run next March.
