Fort Wayne Champs went one-and-done in TBT last year for the first time ever. They’ll do what it takes to make sure that doesn’t happen again
Fort Wayne Champs are sneakily one of the longer-running teams in TBT, starting in 2017 and playing in every season except the Covid one. They’ve been a model of consistency, going either 2-1 or 1-1 in every tournament they played in. They never won the regional final, but they also never went one-and-done. That was until last year, when they lost to Men of Mackey, ending their streak of first-round victories.
This year, they’re looking to get back on track, and perhaps breaking the streak one way will allow them to break it the other way. They return just ten of the 63 points from last year, so perhaps cleaning out the bad energy can turn things around.
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Current Roster:
- Anthony Harris (Miami)
- Bobby Petras (Tiffin University)
- Brendan Medley-Bacon (NC Central)
- Duane Wilson (Marquette & Texas A&M)
- Eric Reed (Mississippi State)
- Jarred Godfrey (Purdue Fort Wayne)
- Jay Schumate (Toledo)
- Nicholas Davis (Southern Nazarene University & University of Nebraska at Omaha)
- Tony Mitchell (Alabama)
- Travis Leslie (Georgia)
- Trevion Crews (Bethel University)
- Ty Gordon (Nicholls State)
- Urald King (Southeastern Oklahoma State)
Coaching Staff:
- Anthony Harris (Asst. Coach)
Region: Indianapolis
All-time Record: 12-7
First Matchup: vs. Locked in Elite (July 19 at 9 p.m. EST)
Team MVP: Duane Wilson
Wilson wasn’t much of a scorer in college, with a high of 11.9 PPG, but since going overseas, he’s been the go-to guy when it comes to needing a bucket. In his most recent stint in Hungary, he averaged 19 points a game, and did it on 43% shooting. He also averaged 1.4 steals a game, showing his ability to succeed on both ends of the floor.
His competition is definitely a step down from TBT, playing in Hungary, and the second leagues in France, Germany, and Italy, but the confidence and ability are there, and that’s something that will translate. If Fort Wayne Champs want to win, he should be the first option.
Make-or-break Player: Jay Shumate
It felt like Shumate didn’t get a fair shake last year, coming off the bench and playing the least amount of minutes for Fort Wayne Champs. He didn’t do much, scoring just four points and missing all three of his three-point attempts. With more opportunity, he would shine and feel more comfortable on the court. Hopefully, the coaching staff sees that and increases his role.
Shumate is a sniper, shooting 40% his entire career and hitting 46% overseas this year. He can get hot in an instant, and if that’s the case, he can seriously take over a game or two and push them past their opponent. It’s all about opportunity, and if they keep him on the bench and put him on a tight leash, they won’t be able to get the most out of him.
Team Outlook
Fort Wayne Champs look to get things back on track in the final game of the first round, facing Locked in Elite. Fort Wayne Champs suffered the loss as a five seed last year, so hopefully they can turn their fortunes as the five seed again. If they win, they won’t have much time to celebrate, since they’ll face the defending champs, Carmen’s Crew.
On paper, this team doesn’t look very dangerous, but looks can be deceiving. As mentioned earlier, they return only a few players from last year’s team, and didn’t pick up anyone of note from other teams. Still, the fresh start can be good for them and gives the opponent less to scout. We’re not in Texas, but Fort Wayne Champs want to show their Texas flare to the people of Indianapolis and spend a few days there.