Sideline Cancer, having competed in every tournament, is continuing to use its TBT exposure to help raise money and awareness for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
In terms of success, Sideline Cancer has won at least one game in the past five tournaments. They are 16-10 all-time, coming five points shy of winning the 2020 title. Those 16 victories rank them second among the teams in this year’s field, one win behind Carmen’s Crew.
To continue adding victories to their total, they will have to do it with a roster with only two returning players from last year. Having a roster of new players may help get Sideline Cancer over the hump to win their first TBT title. On the flip side, the team does not gel and gives the team their third one-and-done performance in history.
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Roster:
- Alonzo Verge Jr (Nebraska)
- Chris Coffey (Georgetown (KY) College)
- Cullen Russo (Southern Idaho & Fresno State)
- Devon Cooper (George Mason)
- Eric Thompson (Pacific)
- Grantham Gillard (South Plains & Arkansas State)
- Jack Gohlke (Hillsdale & Oakland)
- Jacob Conway (Georgetown (KY) College)
- Jaren Homes (St. Bonaventure & Iowa State)
- Jermaine Marrow Jr. (Hampton)
- Kassim Nicholson (UAB & Tennessee State)
- Keith Braxton (St. Francis (PA))
- Marcellus Earlington (San Diego)
Coaching Staff:
- Billy Clapper (GM)
- Charlie Parker (Head Coach)
- Jordan Griffith (Asst. Coach)
- Reggie Bates (Asst. Coach)
- Rob Block (Asst. Coach)
Region: Louisville
All-time Record: 16-10
First Matchup: vs. Veniceball (July 20 at 6 p.m. on TBT Live)
Team MVP: Jermaine Marrow Jr.
Marrow spent four seasons at Hampton, helping the school transition from the MEAC to the Big South Conference. He was able to record at least 14 points in all but two games in his final two seasons in college. The 6’1 guard kept improving, shooting at or around 40% in every season except his freshman year. While averaging 20.8 points per game, his 4.9 assists per game will come in handy with a team that has no experience together.
He has spent the last three seasons in Europe, averaging 16 points in 35 total games. Although his rebounding average took a slight dip, his assist average is in line with his college numbers. Having similar success in the TBT and leading a young team deep into the tournament could potentially land him a training camp invite.
Make-or-break Player: Jack Gohlke
32 points and 10 three-pointers to give Oakland their first trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament just a couple of months ago…remember that? Gohlke went from a nobody to an overnight sensation by sending Kentucky packing after one game. Although he had a strong tournament showing, he only averaged 9.4 points per game in his college career. His strength to the team will be his on-court leadership and shooting from beyond the arc, where he went 37.9% in college.
If Gohlke wants to be more than a one-hit wonder, he will need to show that scoring streak and lead Sideline Cancer out of regional play. He also is smart with his ball handling, only averaging 0.5 turnovers per game in college. This will be a skill needed to help Sideline in their title aspirations. Gohlke also has a shooting stroke like no other. If he knocks down 5+ threes, it’ll be hard for the opponent to match that.
Team Outlook
The two returning players from last year averaged around 9 points and 5 rebounds in the team’s three contests. Chris Coffey will be the player to watch defensively, recording 12.7 rebounds per game in college and 7.2 in three seasons in Greece. They do lack height on the inside, with only three players that can realistically play center or power forward.
Their first test will be Veniceball, a team making their TBT debut. This will be a trend in this region, as Sideline hasn’t played any games against the other seven teams in their region. Get by Veniceball, and they could meet teams with ties to the NBA in the form of The Ville and Team Diesel. The top two teams in the region will have the experience edge heading into the tournament. If this team can gel quickly and limit turnovers, they can send their opponents straight to the sidelines while they celebrate.