The Basketball Tournament 2023: Nasty Nati Team Profile

In its second year, Nasty Nati focuses on getting a winning record and a big payday.

Nasty Nati, the Cincinnati Alumni team, lost in its first game 71-67 against Fort Wayne Champs to crush their hopes last year. This game was a back-and-forth battle that left Nasty Nati on the wrong side. The experience that Fort Wayne had gave them an edge.

This year Nasty Nati takes on The Money Team in the first round in the Xavier Regional. This team has brought in a few names that Cincinnati fans may remember. Keith Williams and Mamoudou Diarra are playing for their first time in the TBT.   Keith Williams played most recently for the Raptors 905, similar to Cumberland in the G-League. Mamoudou Diarra went undrafted in the 2023 NBA draft but is using this opportunity to boost his prospect status as he hopes to play for the Iowa Wolves in the G-League. Finally, a name joining Nasty Nati that you may not be familiar with is Deshaun Morman, a Towson graduate. He has been playing professionally in the Basketball Africa league.

There is a lot of potential with these newcomers. Only two players from last year’s team didn’t return, Octavius Ellis and Ty Jordan. With some experience, this team will want to log its first win in The Basketball Tournament.

For more TBT team profiles, click here.

Current Roster:

• Coreontae Deberry (Cincinnati)
• Deshaun Morman (Towson)
• Jacob Evans (Cincinnati)
• Jarron Cumberland (Cincinnati)
• Keith Williams (Cincinnati)
• Mamoudou Diarra (Cincinnati & Tennessee Tech)
• Marquez Letcher-Eillis (Rice)
• Shaquille Thomas (Cincinnati)
• Tre Scott (Cincinnati)
• Troy Caupain Jr. (Cincinnati)

Coaching Staff:

• Cane Broom (Head Coach)
• Cashmere Wright (Head Coach)
• Kevin Anzenberger (Assistant Coach)
• Kevin Johnson (General Manager, Assistant Coach)

Region:

• Xavier, Ohio

Team MVP: Jacob Evans

In his lone game last year, Jacob Evans led his team in scoring. He put up 20 points in the game against the Fort Wayne Champs, followed by Jarron Cumberland with 13 points. This team had a slow start, but Evans consistently added points in every quarter. He shot the ball well and was second on the team in assists with four. However, his significant weakness was his turnovers. Evans turned the ball over four times while four other players only had one a piece.

With the amount of offense that the Nasty Nati team has, anyone can shoot the ball well on any one night. However, they’ll need Evans to be the leader if they want to go deep in the tournament.

Make-or-break Player: Troy Caupain Jr.

Last year, Troy Caupain had the opportunity but fell short. His poor shooting cost this team, but he helped the team in so many ways without the ball. Caupain handed out a team-leading eight assists, grabbed five rebounds, and had a block and a steal. He put up 11 shots but only made two. One was a 3-pointer, and the other a layup. He could go 2-for-3 from the free throw line, but it was not enough. If he can knock down some of the shots he takes, this team could quickly leave with a 0.500 record.

Team Outlook

OMG the @NastyNati_TBT roster is LOADED with @GoBearcatsMBB legends😱🐾

🎟️Tickets to see the Cincy alumni play IN CINCY🎟️ https://t.co/ycXeiSVJMz pic.twitter.com/6pAAmqsY55

— TBT (@thetournament) May 10, 2023

The Nasty Nati had a rough finish in its first opportunity. The team lost some players, but the new additions are a positive move. With most of its returning, Nasty Nati landed a tough draw in The Money Team. Last year, Blue Collar U was the one that eliminated The Money Team on its way to a TBT championship.

It does not get any better as the next round would likely be Zip ‘Em Up the Xavier Alumni team as the worst-case scenario. While this would be great news for The Basketball Tournament as this cross-town matchup is something that would drive ticket sales into a potential record-breaking number, the advantage would go to Zip ‘Em Up who made it to the third round before losing in 2022. The best case scenario is if Zip ‘Em Up takes a first-round loss against Georgia Kingz in their first year at the TBT.

It is impossible to count any team out regarding The Basketball Tournament. The tough road for Nasty Nati will likely leave this team in the Xavier Regional. While it could win a game, two would be impressive and would be playing with house money at that point. Big games would have to come from Nasty Nati’s stars. Evans, Cumberland, Coreontae, and Caupain shoot and move the ball well. This team has one game experience and will need to turn it up to stack up wins.