Team Heartfire hopes to go back-to-back in The Basketball Tournament and be the first team since Overtime Elite to do so.
Last year, Team Heartfire achieved the dream, going the distance and winning the 1 million dollar prize that comes with it. This year, they’re back for more. They’ve got some old and new faces, including All-Tournament player Marcus Hall and of course, head coach LaPhonso Ellis. Team Heartfire is the team to beat, and have the talent to back it up again.
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Current Roster:
- Bryan Griffin (Xavier)
- Craig Sword (Mississippi State)
- DJ Kennedy (St. John’s)
- Davin White (Cal State Northridge)
- Eric Griffin (Hiwassee, Garden City CC, & Campbell)
- Eric Washington (Presbyterian & Miami-OH)
- Jordan Bell (Oregon)
- Larry Owens (Oral Roberts)
- Marcus Hall (Colorado)
- Raphiael Putney (UMass)
- Richard Solomon (Cal Berkeley)
- Tevin Mack (Clemson, Alabama, & Texas)
- Walter Ellis (Grand Canyon)
Coaching Staff:
- David Rocha (Assistant Coach)
- Homer Drew (GM)
- Laphonso Ellis (Head Coach)
- Ron Katich (Assistant Coach)
- Stephen Dyer (Assistant Coach)
Region: Dayton
All-time Record: 10-3
First Matchup: vs. Rise and Grind (July 20 at 2 p.m. on TBT Live)
Team MVP: Eric Griffin
Griffin led his team in scoring last summer, averaging 12.3 points as well as 1.2 assists and 5.8 rebounds. In the championship game, Griffin went for 23 points and was the main reason they were able to capture that moment. At 6’9, Griffin has the size, and his experience playing in this format will be crucial for his team’s success. Don’t be surprised if Griffin is the leader of this loaded roster once again.
Make-or-break Player: DJ Kennedy
The star returns to The Basketball Tournament. Kennedy is one of the most prolific players in TBT history, winning several championships with Overtime Elite. With all of Kennedy’s accolades, he will be an added boost to an already stout team. This team could play full platoon-style with an entirely new set of players. The rotation will likely be Mack, Kennedy, and Owens for the wing player. With Mack having such a dominant role, Kennedy could be the perfect backup or could even overtake him as a starter. Undoubtedly, he wants to add a sixth championship to his belt; he will be ready and able to contribute immediately.
Team Outlook
Last year, this team flew under the radar, not being considered a championship threat from the start. However, as the games started to stack up, Team Heartfire persevered and improved in each matchup. This year, all eyes are on Team Heartfire, and teams are going to try and do whatever they can to knock out the reigning champion. This team does its homework and can match up with anyone. They play for each other and have a strong defense when the offense falters. We’ve seen five different winners in the past five years, but Team Heartfire undoubtedly has the talent and coaching to break that streak and prevail on top.
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