Team Colorado advances to Super 16 of The Tournament

Team Colorado is moving on to the Super 16 of The Tournament (TBT). The Buffs alumni beat down the Broad Street Brawlers 111-95 in the second round of the 64-team, $2 million grand prize, winner-take-all tournament.

Team Colorado got off a slow start as they struggled mightily with turnovers and shot selection, evidence that they were physically tired from their first round game against Kimchi Express. After scraping their way to a narrow 51-49 halftime lead, Team Colorado started the second half exhibiting their superiority. Almost immediately after the break, Team Colorado went on a 10-0 and never looked back.

The stars for Team Colorado were once again Marcus Hall and Chris Copeland. When the Team Colorado offense struggled early, Hall was there to carry them with his playmaking and shot-creating. Hall wasn’t as important in the second half, but he was still involved in everything and he still knocked down a few shots. He finished with 30 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds.

Copeland shot poorly in the first half, but he caught fire after halftime. Where Hall carried the offense in the first half, Copeland was there in the second. He scored 31 points on 11 of 18 from the field, including a preposterous 8 of 12 from three. He also picked up 7 rebounds and was the lynchpin of the defense. If Copeland continues to play like this, he has an argument for being the best player in TBT.

The role players were also fantastic again today. Dominique Coleman and Shannin Sharpe won’t create their own shots, but they’re there to play hard, hit open shots, and do the little things to support the dynamic Hall-Copeland duo. Those two guys combined for 25 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds and 5 steals, all while setting the tone for the game.

This team is already great and they’re only getting better. The team will continue to build chemistry and they should be adding more talent to the roster. Josh Scott has been with the Portland Trail Blazers Summer League team, but he’ll join Team Colorado shortly. Richard Roby, the all-time scoring co-leader at CU, is still playing in Venezuela, but he should join soon as well. Xavier Silas, a dominant TBT player the past three summers with City of Gods, could also be on the squad as soon as next round.

Next up for Team Colorado is 4th-seeded Armored Athlete, a team known for their great defense and never-say-die attitude. The Super 16 and Round of 8 will be next weekend in Brooklyn.