For the first time since 2018, Hall In, the Seton Hall alumni team, joins TBT, hoping to win the $2 million prize
To learn about Hall In, you’d have to go back to 2018, the only time they competed in the tournament. They went 1-1, and decided that was enough for them. Until now, when the opportunity to play against a former rival in Boeheim’s Army, the Syracuse alumni team, arose. They bring in no shortage of recent Seton Hall stars and are ready for their return and to make the Pirates fans proud.
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Roster:
- Isaiah Whitehead (Seton Hall)
- Darnell Brodie (Seton Hall)
- Romaro Gill (Seton Hall)
- Al-Amir Dawes (Clemson & Seton Hall)
- Myles Cale (Seton Hall)
- KC Ndefo (Seton Hall)
- Phillip Carr (Morgan State)
- Ant Nelson (Seton Hall)
- Quatarrius Wilson (McNeese State & Southeast Missouri State)
Coaching Staff:
- Ryan Mulvaney (GM)
- Ayton Branche (Head Coach)
- Jo Jo Swift (Asst. Coach)
All-time Record: 1-1
First Matchup: vs. Boeheim’s Army (July 21 at 7 p.m. EST)
Hall In MVP: Isaiah Whitehead
Whitehead is the only player on this team to play in last year’s TBT, playing for the UConn Alumni team. Seton Hall fans definitely weren’t thrilled to see him on their rivals’ squad, but they’re very happy that they get to see him back in the blue and white. He was solid last year, averaging 14.3 PPG across three games, as well as just under 8 rebounds a game and four assists.
Whitehead is fearless, getting to the basket no matter what and getting in the face of any ballhandler to make them uncomfortable. At 6’4, the fact he averaged just under 8 rebounds a game last year showcased that, and with him being the only player on this team with that experience, they’ll lean on him to set the tone while they adjust to the TBT style of play.
Make-or-break Player: KC Ndefo
Ndefo is a defensive monster, especially when it comes to protecting the rim. In college basketball HISTORY, he has the 38th most blocks all time at 372. Despite being just 6’5, he knows how to be in the right spots at the right time and deter any shot that comes his way. The famous saying is true: defense wins championships, and Ndefo will be a big part of that.
Boeheim’s Army has a ton of capable scorers, so if Hall In, led by Ndefo, can slow them down and turn this into a scrum, then that gives them the best chance to win. Hall In has a ton of hard-nose defenders, but none are as game-changing as KC.
Team Outlook
As mentioned, if this team is going to beat Boeheim’s Army, they’re going to need to slow this game down and make it a dogfight. They don’t have a guy who can make seven threes or a guy who can go for 30, but they have several guys who can get in the face of the opponent and force them to beat them with a tough make. Al-Amir Dawes and Myles Cale are the other two primary guards besides Whitehead, and expect them to try to get towards the middle of the paint and the rim to draw fouls.
This team is really loaded when it comes to length and athleticism. They have four players over 6’8, including 7’2 Romaro Gill, who may be the tallest player in the tournament. Pair him with Ndefo or Darnell Brodie, and there might not be any shot that goes towards the basket because it’ll be sent the other way.
It just comes down to experience and having enough time to learn about the game flow and Elam Ending before it’s too late. Boeheim’s Army has won this tournament before, and has a lot of experience, but Hall In has what it takes to pull off the upset and represent the Northeast in this tournament.